Pentagon ends gender transition treatments as it moves to boot trans troops

The Pentagon has made a significant decision to halt all gender transition treatments for transgender troops and remove them from the military. According to a memo from Stephen Ferrara, the acting assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, dated May 9, all gender transition treatments will be stopped immediately, and only mental health and counseling for gender dysphoria will be covered. Other gender dysphoria-related treatments will be referred to the private sector.

Scheduled transgender surgeries will be canceled, but cross-sex hormone therapy for service members who began treatment before the memo may continue until they separate from the military to prevent health complications. Last week, transgender troops were given a deadline of 30 to 60 days to leave the military voluntarily or face involuntary removal.

Active duty service members have until June 6 to leave the military, while reservists have until July 7. This decision followed a Supreme Court ruling that allowed a previously blocked ban on transgender military service to move forward. The Supreme Court’s decision effectively lifted a lower court’s injunction, allowing the Defense Department to implement the policy.

Secretary Pete Hegseth emphasized that those diagnosed with or showing symptoms consistent with gender dysphoria may choose to leave voluntarily. Failure to do so may result in mandatory separation from the military.

The Supreme Court did not rule on the legal arguments surrounding the ban but allowed President Trump’s executive order from January 27 to bar transgender individuals from military service. The Trump administration argued that delaying the policy’s implementation could impact operational readiness.

Officials supporting the policy believe it promotes unit cohesion, readiness, discipline, and cost efficiency within the military. Trump’s executive order also instructed the Pentagon to revise its medical standards to prioritize combat readiness and eliminate the use of gender identity-based pronouns within the department.

The ban on transgender individuals serving in the military was lifted under President Barack Obama in 2014. The recent policy changes align with Pentagon leadership’s efforts under Hegseth to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. He has announced the removal of 99.9% of DEI-related policies and changes to fitness standards to ensure equal requirements for male and female troops in terms of combat readiness.