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“FOR THE SAKE OF OUR NATION.” A Jan. 27 Executive Order prompted a memo by the Department of Defense, which mandates the removal of transgender troops from the military in order to “prioritize military excellence and readiness.”
By: Rafael Tortolero
Multimedia specialist
Transgender members of the military are set to be removed promptly, according to the Pentagon. During his first term, Trump fought to ban transgender people from military service, eventually passing a policy in 2019 that prevented any new trans troops from enlisting if they had received any gender-affirming care. Former President Joe Biden reversed the policy in 2021.
Now, the policy has changed again. The Department of Defense recently issued a memo, titled “Additional Guidance on Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness”, where the Pentagon was set to identify members of the military who have a diagnosis of gender dysphoria, a medical term used to describe the distress or discomfort someone experiences when their sex assigned at birth and gender identity don’t align, often leading to depression and anxiety. The policy will also target any member or applicant that “exhibits symptoms consistent with” gender dysphoria, even if they are not necessarily diagnosed, according to the memo.
Once the Pentagon has identified them, they will be removed from their positions and disqualified from serving in the military. Although some members will still be able to serve with a waiver, like those diagnosed with gender dysphoria in childhood, eligibility will be decided on a case-by-case basis. In order to be granted a waiver, troops will be required to show 36 consecutive months of “stability” with their gender assigned at birth, prove that they have never “attempted to transition to any sex other than their sex,” and be willing and able to meet service standards associated with their sex assigned at birth.
Service members terminated based on gender identity will receive the “honorable discharge” classification and may be eligible for separation pay.
It was also stated that the Department of Defense will only recognize two genders. Service members are required to use the sex-separated facilities, like bathrooms or changing rooms, that align with their sex assigned at birth.
These policies will also apply to Military Service Academies and Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) programs, and the memo adds that admissions offers to such programs will be rescinded if the applicant is disqualified under the gender dysphoria policy.
President Trump’s Executive Order 14183, the basis of the DoD memo, states that being transgender “conflicts with a soldier’s commitment to an honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle, even in one’s personal life.”
The DoD does not provide public records of how many transgender members are in the military. Estimates range from a few thousand to up to 15,000.
In response to the executive actions, amicus briefs hoping to block the ban were filed by 21 Attorneys General from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.