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The Pentagon has initiated the discharge of transgender-identifying service members following a recent Supreme Court decision that upheld President Trump’s executive order banning their military service.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that active-duty personnel diagnosed with gender dysphoria have 30 days to voluntarily separate from service, while reservists have 60 days. After these periods, involuntary separations will commence. The Department of Defense is also reviewing medical records to identify individuals who have not self-reported.
This policy reinstates a ban similar to one implemented during Trump’s first term and later reversed by President Biden. The current directive affects approximately 1,000 service members, though estimates suggest the number could be higher. The ban prohibits enlistment for individuals diagnosed with gender dysphoria and bars those undergoing gender transition from serving.
Advocacy groups and affected service members have filed legal challenges against the policy, arguing it violates constitutional rights and undermines military readiness by excluding qualified individuals. However, public opinion on transgender military service has shifted, with a Gallup poll indicating support declining from 71% in 2019 to 58% in 2025.
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