Recent reports indicate that the Trump administration has directed the Pentagon to identify and discharge transgender service members from the U.S. military unless they obtain specific exemptions. This directive, outlined in a Department of Defense memorandum, asserts that individuals with a diagnosis or history of gender dysphoria are incompatible with national security interests. The memo was submitted to a court as part of ongoing legal challenges questioning the constitutionality of President Trump’s executive order issued in January, which prohibits transgender individuals from enlisting and halts gender transition procedures for current service members. Advocates for transgender rights view this action as an unprecedented purge of transgender individuals from military service, arguing it violates equal protection rights under the Fifth Amendment.
The Guardian

The Pentagon’s new policy mandates that military branches identify transgender personnel within 30 days and initiate their separation within the following 30 days. Exceptions are limited to those whose roles directly support warfighting capabilities. This move has prompted legal challenges from LGBTQ+ organizations, such as GLAD Law, The National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) and Lambda Legal, which contend that the ban is discriminatory and undermines the dedicated service of transgender troops. Notably, this policy reverses the previous administration’s stance, which had allowed transgender individuals to serve openly in the military.
People, Reuters

In a related development, President Trump signed Executive Order 14183 on January 27, 2025, titled “Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness.” This order directs the Department of Defense to exclude individuals who identify with a gender different from their biological sex from military service, citing concerns over unit cohesion and overall military effectiveness. The order also mandates the discontinuation of pronoun usage inconsistent with one’s biological sex and requires service members to use facilities corresponding to their assigned sex. Critics argue that this policy discriminates against transgender individuals and undermines inclusivity within the armed forces.
Wikipedia (sources: Washington Examiner, NPR, CBS News, The Washington Post, NBC News)

These actions discriminate against the transgender community, and has sparked widespread debate and legal challenges concerning the rights and treatment of transgender individuals in the armed forces.