Transgender troops will be removed from the military, Pentagon says
Transgender service members will be removed from the military unless they are granted a waiver, according to a memo the Pentagon filed in court late Wednesday.
Transgender service members will be removed from the military unless they are granted a waiver, according to a memo the Pentagon filed in court late Wednesday.
The memo was released as part of a lawsuit filed by LGBTQ rights groups last month against President Donald Trump’s executive order barring trans people from enlisting and serving in the military and provides clarity on how the policy will be implemented.
Under the trans military ban Trump issued during his first term, trans service members who had come out prior to the ban taking effect could continue to serve openly and receive transition-related medical care. Those who had come out after it took effect had to serve in a manner consistent with their birth sex and could not receive transition care.
The new policy goes further, according to the memo filed in court Wednesday. Within 30 days, the Pentagon must identify service members who have “a current diagnosis or history of, or exhibit symptoms consistent with, gender dysphoria,” which is the medical term for the severe emotional distress caused by the misalignment between one’s gender identity and birth sex.
U.S. Army soldiers in the German state of Bavaria in 2022.Daniel Karmann / picture alliance via Getty Images fileThose identified by the Pentagon will be disqualified from service and must be removed from their jobs. They will receive an honorable separation unless their record reflects otherwise, according to the memo.
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