Pentagon Bars Transgender Soldiers Diagnosed with Gender Dysphoria from Military Service

The U.S. military will begin discharging transgender troops within 30 days unless they secure a waiver, according to a Pentagon memo released in a court filing on Wednesday.

The policy follows a January executive order by President Donald Trump, directing the Pentagon to bar transgender individuals from serving. The memo states that service members with a diagnosis or history of gender dysphoria will be processed for removal unless there is a "compelling government interest" to retain them for national security or operational needs.

To qualify for a waiver, troops must show they have never attempted gender transition and must demonstrate 36 consecutive months of stability in their biological sex without "clinically significant distress or impairment."

The memo also orders the Pentagon to identify transgender personnel within 30 days and begin their removal within the following month.

"The Department only recognizes two sexes: male and female," the memo states. "An individual's sex is immutable, unchanging during a person's life."

The policy also bans the use of Department of Defense funds for any surgical procedures or hormone therapy related to gender transition.

Transgender troops have faced shifting policies over the years. The U.S. military first allowed transgender individuals to serve openly in 2016 under the Obama administration. Trump attempted to reverse that policy in 2017, leading to multiple legal battles. The Supreme Court eventually allowed his restrictions to take effect in 2019.