The United States military has announced plans to discharge around 1,000 transgender service members in the coming weeks, enforcing a controversial policy that bars their continued service. The Pentagon confirmed on Thursday that troops who do not step down voluntarily by early June will face mandatory removal.
This action follows an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in January, which prohibited transgender individuals from serving in the armed forces. Earlier this week, the US Supreme Court cleared the way for the policy to be implemented while ongoing legal challenges continue in lower courts.
According to a memo issued by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, “The Military Departments will immediately begin processing for separation service members who previously self identified for voluntary separation prior to March 26, 2025.”
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell clarified that roughly 1,000 service members diagnosed with gender dysphoria fall under this category. As of late last year, approximately 4,240 active duty troops had been diagnosed with the condition, a senior defense official added.
Under the new directive, active duty personnel who fail to exit by June 6 and reservists who remain after June 7 will be discharged from the military. The memo added, “On conclusion of the self identification eligibility window, the Military Departments will initiate involuntary separation processes.”
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Trump’s January 27 executive order asserted, “expressing a false ‘gender identity’ divergent from an individual’s sex cannot satisfy the rigorous standards necessary for military service.” The Pentagon subsequently reinforced the ban with a February memo, which stated that transgender individuals would be barred from enlisting and that current troops could only remain if they secured a waiver on a case by case basis.
Over the past decade, transgender military personnel have faced a shifting landscape. While Democratic administrations sought to expand their rights to serve openly, Trump’s administration has repeatedly attempted to restrict their participation.
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