The U.S. Army has announced an immediate ban on transgender individuals from enlisting and has halted gender-affirming medical procedures for active-duty service members. The decision follows an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on January 27, directing the Department of Defense to revise its policies on transgender service members.
In a statement posted on social media Friday, the Army said, "The #USArmy will no longer allow transgender individuals to join the military and will stop performing or facilitating procedures associated with gender transition for service members." The new policy applies to both new recruits and those currently serving, ending coverage for medical treatments related to gender transition.
The policy shift aligns with Trump's order, which states that expressing "a gender identity inconsistent with an individual's sex conflicts with a soldier's commitment to an honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle, even in one's personal life." It further asserts that individuals with gender dysphoria "cannot satisfy the rigorous standards necessary for military service."
The executive order has sparked legal challenges. A lawsuit filed by six active-duty transgender service members seeks to block the new policy, arguing that the ban discriminates against those who have already demonstrated their ability to serve. "I've spent more than half my life in the Army, including combat in Afghanistan," Army Sgt. 1st Class Kate Cole told the Associated Press. "Removing qualified transgender soldiers like me means an exodus of experienced personnel."
The Army's announcement comes after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a memo on February 7, which paused new enlistments of individuals diagnosed with gender dysphoria and suspended all gender-affirming medical care for service members. The memo has been included in a federal court case in Washington, D.C., where civil rights groups are challenging the executive order.
The nonprofit organization SPARTA Pride, which advocates for transgender service members and veterans, criticized the decision. "Transgender service members have been serving openly for almost ten years and currently fill critical roles in every branch and specialty, including infantry, aviation, nuclear engineering, law enforcement, and military intelligence, many requiring years of specialized training and expertise," the organization said in a statement.
Capt. Gordon Herrero, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit challenging the ban, said in a statement: "There's nothing about being transgender that makes me better or worse than any other soldier I serve alongside. We are all here because we are committed to our country, and we are passionate, willing, and able to serve effectively."
Estimates suggest that between 9,000 and 12,000 transgender individuals currently serve in the U.S. military, though precise figures are difficult to determine due to medical privacy laws. The Trump administration previously implemented a similar ban during his first term, which was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2019 before being reversed by President Joe Biden in 2021.
