US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth discusses matters with Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, on February 24, 2025. (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
OAN Staff James Meyers 2:33 PM – Thursday, February 27, 2025
The Pentagon has mandated that all transgender military members must be discharged unless they can secure a waiver demonstrating their suitability for “warfighting capabilities.”
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According to a memo released on Wednesday evening, all service members diagnosed with or exhibiting symptoms of gender dysphoria are deemed ineligible for military service.
Here We Go!
Department of Defense issues a sweeping memorandum last night, declaring transgenders in the military will be discharged within 30 days – it states that those with gender dysphoria are “incompatible with the high mental and physical standards necessary for military… pic.twitter.com/jPVHv4JuPX
The memo emphasizes that “the medical, surgical, and mental health constraints associated with a current diagnosis or history of, or symptoms consistent with, gender dysphoria are not compatible with the high mental and physical standards required for military service.”
The memo also references President Donald Trump’s executive order issued on January 27, asserting that permitting transgender individuals to serve in the armed forces jeopardizes readiness and undermines unit cohesion.
“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,” stated Wednesday’s policy memo.
Furthermore, the memo mandates the Pentagon to identify transgender service members within 30 days and discharged them within another 30 days, ensuring they receive an honorable discharge.
“Service members under this policy will be afforded all statutorily required rights and benefits,” the memo specifies.
Regarding waivers, they will be evaluated on an individual basis, highlighting the necessity for “compelling government interest” in retaining individuals who “directly support warfighting capabilities” and adhere to standards associated with their biological sex.
The memo also stipulates that service members must demonstrate 36 months of stability in their identity and have never attempted to physically transition.
During Trump’s first term, a similar ban on transgender military personnel was implemented. Former Defense Secretary James Mattis sought to postpone the policy’s enforcement during that time.
President Biden reversed the ban upon taking office in January 2021, with the military subsequently publicly supporting the service of openly transgender service members during his term.
Critics of Trump’s order contended that, even with specified exceptions, barring transgender personnel from serving as their true selves constitutes a ban on transgender military service in its entirety.
“Any policy that prevents transgender people from serving as transgender individuals — whether through an outright ban or through requirements to serve in one’s birth sex — is essentially a ban, plain and simple,” remarked Rep. Gil Cisneros (D-Calif.), a member of the House Armed Services Committee.
In January 2023, Major Rachel Jones was honored by the military for publicly coming out as a transgender woman.
.@USArmy Maj. Rachel Jones discovered comfort after coming out as a transgender female. Her transformation from grappling with depression and suicidal ideation to embracing her true self is inspiring. #WhyWeServehttps://t.co/9llx7skuC3
— Department of Defense 🇺🇸 (@DeptofDefense) July 2, 2023
“Her journey from overcoming depression and suicidal thoughts to embracing authenticity serves as an inspiration to us all,” the Department of Defense shared on social media.
Additional new requirements outlined in the memo indicate that male and female service members are prohibited from sharing sleeping, changing, or bathing facilities designated for the opposite sex.
Moreover, the memo states that no Pentagon funding will be allocated for any sex reassignment surgeries or genital reconstruction procedures.
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