The United States Department of Defense has announced that transgender service members will begin being discharged from the military within 30 days unless they receive a waiver on a case-by-case basis.
The move follows an executive order issued by President Donald Trump in January, reinstating restrictions on transgender individuals serving in the armed forces.
According to a Pentagon memo, service members diagnosed with gender dysphoria or those exhibiting symptoms will be processed for separation. However, waivers may be granted to individuals deemed essential for warfighting capabilities.
To qualify, troops must prove they have never attempted gender transition and have maintained 36 consecutive months of stability in their biological sex without distress or impairment.
The policy shift marks another dramatic reversal in the ongoing debate over transgender rights in the military. Under former President Barack Obama, a ban on transgender troops was lifted in 2016, allowing service members to serve openly. However, Trump sought to reinstate restrictions during his first term, culminating in a legal battle that reached the Supreme Court, which upheld his policy in 2019.
When Joe Biden took office in 2021, he swiftly reversed Trump’s restrictions, asserting that all qualified Americans should be allowed to serve regardless of gender identity. But with Trump’s return to power in January 2025, the military has once again reverted to restrictive policies on transgender personnel.
