New Pentagon Policy Aims to Remove Transgender Service Members: What You Need to Know

The Pentagon is moving forward with a new policy that will remove transgender service members who don’t meet certain criteria. This decision was shared in a court filing on Wednesday.

According to a memo released with this guidance, service members diagnosed with gender dysphoria—tied to distress when one’s gender identity differs from their assigned sex at birth—will be separated from military service. Not all transgender individuals experience gender dysphoria, though.

The policy states the military only recognizes two sexes: male and female. It asserts that a person’s sex remains unchanging throughout life, and all service members will serve according to their designated sex.

This approach follows a controversial executive order signed by former President Trump in January, stating that transgender service members are unsuitable for military roles. In a 2018 estimate, around 14,000 transgender individuals were believed to be serving.

A defense official recently revealed that approximately 4,240 active-duty and reserve service members have a diagnosis of gender dysphoria. Between 2014 and 2025, about 1,000 personnel underwent gender-affirming surgeries.

Some exceptions to the policy exist. A service member may be retained if they demonstrate 36 months of stability in their sex, have never attempted to transition to a different sex, and comply with standards related to their sex.

The new guidelines surfaced amid ongoing legal challenges to the prior executive order. In a recent hearing, Judge Ana Reyes suggested that the order might be biased, hinting at a potential ruling favorable to several transgender service members involved in the lawsuit.

While the judge has not yet decided on blocking the order, more legal arguments will be presented soon. The judge plans to reconvene next month.

Previous attempts to ban transgender individuals from serving faced multiple lawsuits claiming sex discrimination. While lower courts initially blocked these bans, the Supreme Court allowed one to proceed in 2019. President Biden reversed this policy in 2021.

The updated Pentagon policy is stricter than earlier measures during Trump’s first administration, which permitted some service members to continue serving if they joined prior to the ban. Under the new policy, those being separated will be declared non-deployable until officially removed.

Defense officials state that no budget funds will cover surgeries related to gender reassignment or hormone therapies.

Air Force Master Sgt. Logan Ireland, serving openly as a transgender individual, challenges the idea that transgender service members compromise military standards. Ireland expressed concern that removing experienced personnel could hinder military readiness.

The new policies will also affect transgender recruits, including those who were discharged under previous bans. Riley Rhyne, who was separated from service during the earlier administration, reenlisted with the Army after Biden’s reversal but now faces uncertainty again due to this latest policy.

“Going through it a second time is very hurtful,” Rhyne said. He expressed disappointment upon hearing about the Pentagon’s new stance. “We have fought this before and we’re ready to fight this again,” he added, signaling resilience among those affected.

This story has been updated with additional reporting.

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