U.S. Military to Commence Discharge of 1,000 Transgender Service Members, Pentagon Confirms

The U.S. military will begin the immediate removal of approximately 1,000 transgender service members following an executive order issued by President Donald Trump and a recent Supreme Court ruling allowing the policy to take effect during ongoing legal challenges.

According to a memo released Thursday by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the military will start processing the discharge of troops who had self-identified for voluntary separation before March 26, 2025.

“The Military Departments will immediately begin processing for separation service members who previously self-identified for voluntary separation prior to March 26, 2025,” the memo states.

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell confirmed in a statement that around 1,000 transgender troops diagnosed with gender dysphoria fall under this directive. A senior defense official said that as of late last year, 4,240 service members had such diagnoses.

The memo outlines that active-duty members who do not leave voluntarily by June 6, and reservists by June 7, will face involuntary separation. “On conclusion of the self-identification eligibility window, the Military Departments will initiate involuntary separation processes,” it adds.

President Trump’s executive order, signed on January 27, declared that “expressing a false ‘gender identity’ divergent from an individual’s sex cannot satisfy the rigorous standards necessary for military service.”

In late February, the Pentagon followed up with a directive requiring all transgender personnel to seek case-by-case waivers to remain in service, while banning new transgender recruits altogether.

The new enforcement signals a reversal from Democratic administrations that had worked to allow transgender individuals to serve openly, while President Trump has maintained efforts to bar them from the military ranks.

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