The United States military will begin removing transgender service members from its ranks within 30 days, unless they obtain a waiver, according to a Pentagon memo released on Wednesday.
The directive follows President Donald Trump’s late January executive order, which aims to bar transgender personnel from military service.
Pentagon Memo: New Rules for Transgender Troops
According to the memo, service members diagnosed with gender dysphoria or those exhibiting symptoms of the condition will be processed for separation from the military unless granted a case-by-case waiver.
A waiver will only be considered if there is a "compelling government interest" in retaining the service member for warfighting capabilities. To qualify, transgender troops must:
✅ Show no prior attempt to transition
✅ Demonstrate 36 consecutive months of stability in their sex without experiencing significant social, occupational, or mental distress
Reversing Biden’s Inclusive Policy
The Trump administration has repeatedly opposed transgender military service, reversing policies first introduced under Democratic President Barack Obama in 2016.
🔹 2016: Obama lifts the ban, allowing transgender troops to serve openly.
🔹 2017-2018: Trump postpones the policy’s implementation, then moves to reverse it entirely.
🔹 2019: After legal challenges, Trump's restrictions on transgender troops take effect.
🔹 2021: Democratic President Joe Biden reverses the ban, allowing transgender individuals to serve freely.
🔹 2025: Trump issues a new executive order reinstating restrictions, arguing that "expressing a false ‘gender identity’ divergent from an individual’s sex" is incompatible with military service.
Transgender Rights: A Divisive Political Issue
Transgender rights have become a highly polarizing issue in US politics, with Republican and Democratic-led states enacting conflicting policies on issues such as:
📌 Medical treatment for transgender individuals
📌 Gender-affirming care restrictions
📌 Book bans in public and school libraries
With Trump's latest order, the future of transgender Americans in the military once again hangs in the balance, setting the stage for legal battles and political debate over inclusion in the armed forces.
