Around 1,000 American soldiers who identify as transgender will be discharged from the military, the U.S. Department of Defense has confirmed. The decision follows a Supreme Court-backed order that cleared the way for the Trump administration to enforce a ban on transgender individuals serving in active duty.
According to the Pentagon, these troops were given 30 days to voluntarily separate from the military. For those who had not openly declared their status, medical records would be used to identify and remove them from service.
Data shows that since December 9, 2024, over 4,000 active-duty personnel have been diagnosed with gender dysphoria.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell confirmed that the “voluntary separation” process for these troops has begun.
This is the latest move by the Trump administration targeting not only transgender service members but also LGBTQ+ veterans. Simultaneously, the Department of Veterans Affairs has begun dismantling treatments for gender dysphoria by repealing Directive 1341—a move that has drawn sharp criticism from human rights groups.
