Photo courtesy of Terry Thompson
Under President Trump’s new guidelines, transgender individuals are now deemed nondeployable and formally disqualified from military service.
The Trump administration has initiated the separation of transgender service members, declaring that gender dysphoria is medically incompatible with military standards. The Department of Defense has issued a series of memos directing the identification and removal, voluntary or involuntary, of those diagnosed with, or showing symptoms of, gender dysphoria.
The policy follows President Trump’s January 2025 executive order and states that “expressing a false gender identity divergent from an individual’s sex” undermines readiness, cohesion, and lethality. Officials say the move enforces standards rooted in uniformity, discipline, and what they call “biological truth.”
On February 26, 2025, the Department of Defense issued a memorandum titled “Additional Guidance on Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness,” formally disqualifying individuals with a current diagnosis, history, or symptoms of gender dysphoria from military service. The policy states that such conditions are incompatible with readiness, cohesion, lethality, and integrity, and affirms that all personnel must meet standards without special accommodations.
Under Executive Order 14168, the Department of Defense defines sex as an immutable biological classification, male or female, and requires all service members to serve in accordance with their sex. This designation now governs compliance with military standards, including physical fitness, grooming, uniforms, and access to bathrooms, showers, and berthing.
Pronoun use and terms of address must also reflect a service member’s biological sex, reinforcing the military’s emphasis on uniformity and discipline. Military records are required to reflect this designation, and all intimate facilities must be strictly separated by sex. Standards for drug testing, grooming, and fitness will be applied accordingly.
Additionally, the policy prohibits the use of Department funds for sex reassignment surgeries, genital reconstruction, or newly initiated cross-sex hormone therapy.
Screening for gender dysphoria has been integrated into routine Periodic Health Assessments (PHA), which fall under the Individual Medical Readiness (IMR) program. Service members who disclose symptoms or history of gender dysphoria, or are referred by commanders based on observed behavior, are flagged for further evaluation. Separation proceedings must begin within 30 days of identification.
The Pentagon estimates that approximately 4,000 service members may be affected, although that number may fluctuate. Around 1,000 have already self-identified and begun the separation process.
Under the new policy, service members disqualified under the gender dysphoria provision will receive an honorable discharge, unless separate misconduct warrants a lower characterization. Those who opt for voluntary separation within 30 days will not be required to repay bonuses and will be eligible for full separation pay. Involuntary separations, by contrast, may involve reduced compensation and repayment of unearned bonuses.
For example, an E-5 (sergeant or petty officer second class) with 10 years of service could receive approximately $101,000 if separated voluntarily, but only around $51,000 if separated involuntarily. Officers would see similar disparities. Service members with over 18 but fewer than 20 years of service may also qualify for early retirement.
Active-duty personnel must self-identify by June 6, 2025, and reservists by July 7, to qualify for voluntary separation and the associated benefits. Those who do not will be subject to administrative separation unless granted a waiver based on compelling national security needs.
Applicants with a current or prior diagnosis of gender dysphoria, or who exhibit related symptoms, are disqualified from enlistment, commissioning, or participation in military academies and ROTC programs unless they receive a waiver.
Service members undergoing separation may be placed in administrative absence status, during which they are non-deployable but continue to receive full pay and benefits. They will also be enrolled in the Transition Assistance Program until the process is complete. All separations under this policy will be classified as honorable unless misconduct is present.
Beginning March 26, 2025, and continuing every 30 days, military departments must submit progress reports detailing policy updates, separation figures, and compliance status. These recurring reports are intended to ensure consistent implementation of the policy across all branches.
In early 2025, federal judges temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s policy barring transgender individuals from military service. On March 8, U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes ruled the policy likely violated the constitutional rights of transgender service members, calling it “unfair and exclusionary.” Just days later, on March 14, Judge Benjamin Settle issued a nationwide preliminary injunction, halting enforcement while lawsuits proceeded. Both judges argued that the policy could cause irreparable harm by stigmatizing service members and disrupting their careers without sufficient justification.
However, the policy mandates a single, uniform standard for all troops. While critics claim this is exclusionary, applying one set of rules to everyone promotes fairness and consistency more than maintaining dual standards based on gender identity. Military service has long prioritized the needs of the mission over individual preferences, a concept encapsulated in the order “mission, men.” Soldiers are routinely asked to risk or even sacrifice their lives for the greater objective. By comparison, being labeled nondeployable or facing career interruption is a lesser burden.
On May 6, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court lifted the injunctions in a 5–4 decision, allowing the administration to enforce the policy while legal challenges continued. The majority emphasized that the executive branch holds broad authority over military personnel matters and that courts should defer to national security decisions unless a clear constitutional violation is proven.
The ruling noted the Department of Defense’s rationale, focused on cohesion, readiness, and medical fitness, was sufficient to justify implementation. As a result, the Trump administration resumed the process of separating transgender service members in line with the updated guidelines.
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