The U.S. military will no longer accept transgender individuals and will cease assisting with gender transition procedures for its members, according to a letter submitted to the court by Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegset, on Monday.
Last month, President Donald Trump signed an executive order criticizing transgender service members, stating that a man who identifies as a woman “is not consistent with the humility and selflessness required of a soldier.”
The letter, dated February 7, and submitted to the District Court in Washington on Monday, states: “Immediately, a pause on all new recruits with a history of gender dysphoria will be implemented.”
“All unplanned, scheduled, or planned medical procedures related to gender transition for military members are paused,” the letter added.
Regarding individuals with gender dysphoria already in the military, Hegset announced that they would receive treatment “with dignity and respect,” adding that his deputy would provide further details on what that entails.
The U.S. military has approximately 1.3 million active-duty members, according to the Department of Defense. Transgender rights activists believe there may be up to 15,000 transgender individuals in the military, though officials from the Department estimate the number to be in the thousands.
A Gallup poll released on Monday showed that 58% of Americans support allowing transgender individuals to serve in the military, though that support has dropped from 71% in 2019.
