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Transgender US military personnel must be identified and stood down, says Pentagon memo Trump administration memo orders Pentagon to identify and fire transgender members of US military
(about 11 hours later)
Being transgender is not compatible with service, court filing says, foreshadowing removal of people from service within 60 days Memo says ‘service by these individuals is not in the best interests of the military’ in Trump’s latest attack on trans rights
Transgender service members will be separated from the US military unless they receive an exemption, according to a Pentagon memo filed in court on Wednesday – essentially banning them from joining or serving in the armed forces. The Trump administration has moved to fire transgender members of the military, with the defense department issuing a memo saying they will be separated from service unless they receive an exemption.
Donald Trump signed an executive order in January that took aim at transgender troops in a personal way – at one point saying that a man identifying as a woman was “not consistent with the humility and selflessness required of a service member”. The document, filed in court on Wednesday, represent the latest salvo against transgender rights by Donald Trump and his defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, both of whom have a history of opposition to the group and vowed to roll back their participation in government.
This month, the Pentagon had said that the US military would no longer allow transgender individuals to join and would stop performing or facilitating procedures associated with gender transition for service members. “Military service by service members and applicants for military service who have a current diagnosis or history of, or exhibit symptoms consistent with, gender dysphoria is incompatible with military service,” the memo says.
“Service by these individuals is not in the best interests of the military services and is not clearly consistent with the interests of national security.”
The memo follows Trump’s signing of an executive order in January that took aim at transgender troops in a personal way, describing them as “not consistent with the humility and selflessness required of a service member”.
Earlier this month, the Pentagon had said that the US military would no longer allow transgender individuals to join and would stop performing or facilitating procedures associated with gender transition for service members. In announcing the policy, Hegseth said people with gender dysphoria already in the military would be “treated with dignity and respect”.
Wednesday’s late-evening memo went further. It said that the Pentagon must create a procedure to identify troops who are transgender within 30 days and then within 30 days of that, must start to separate them from the military.Wednesday’s late-evening memo went further. It said that the Pentagon must create a procedure to identify troops who are transgender within 30 days and then within 30 days of that, must start to separate them from the military.
“It is the policy of the United States government to establish high standards for service member readiness, lethality, cohesion, honesty, humility, uniformity, and integrity,” said the memo, dated 26 February. “It is the policy of the United States government to establish high standards for service member readiness, lethality, cohesion, honesty, humility, uniformity, and integrity,” the memo said.
“This policy is inconsistent with the medical, surgical, and mental health constraints on individuals with gender dysphoria or who have a current diagnosis or history of, or exhibit symptoms consistent with, gender dysphoria.”“This policy is inconsistent with the medical, surgical, and mental health constraints on individuals with gender dysphoria or who have a current diagnosis or history of, or exhibit symptoms consistent with, gender dysphoria.”
There is no requirement for transgender troops to self identify and the Pentagon doesn’t have a precise number. The defense department said waivers would be granted only “provided there is a compelling government interest in retaining the service member that directly supports warfighting capabilities”.
The Pentagon said waivers would be granted only “provided there is a compelling government interest in retaining the service member that directly supports warfighting capabilities”. There is no requirement for transgender troops to self-identify and the department does not have a precise number.
It added that for a waiver, troops must also be able to meet a number of criteria, including that the service member “demonstrates 36 consecutive months of stability in the service member’s sex without clinically significant distress”. The military has about 1.3 million active duty personnel, according to Pentagon data. Transgender rights advocates say there are as many as 15,000 transgender service members. Officials say the number is in the low thousands.
The military has about 1.3 million active duty personnel, according to Department of Defense data. Transgender rights advocates say there are as many as 15,000 transgender service members. Officials say the number is in the low thousands.
The move, which goes further than restrictions Trump placed on transgender service members during his first administration, was described as unprecedented by advocates. “The scope and severity of this ban is unprecedented. It is a complete purge of all transgender individuals from military service,” said Shannon Minter of the National Center For Lesbian Rights (NCLR).The move, which goes further than restrictions Trump placed on transgender service members during his first administration, was described as unprecedented by advocates. “The scope and severity of this ban is unprecedented. It is a complete purge of all transgender individuals from military service,” said Shannon Minter of the National Center For Lesbian Rights (NCLR).
The memo was filed in court as part of a lawsuit brought by NCLR and GLAD Law. The suit challenges the constitutionality of the January executive order and argues that it violates the equal protection component of the fifth amendment.The memo was filed in court as part of a lawsuit brought by NCLR and GLAD Law. The suit challenges the constitutionality of the January executive order and argues that it violates the equal protection component of the fifth amendment.
This month, the US defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, said people with gender dysphoria already in the military would be “treated with dignity and respect”.