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The Pentagon has announced an immediate stop to all gender transition treatments for transgender service members as it begins the process of discharging them from military service, according to a memo issued last week.
“I am directing you to take the necessary steps to immediately implement this guidance,” wrote Stephen Ferrara, the acting assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, in the May 9 memo.
Under the new directive, the Pentagon will now only provide mental health services and counseling related to gender dysphoria. All other treatments associated with gender dysphoria will be referred to the private sector. Additionally, all upcoming or scheduled transgender-related surgeries will be canceled. Cross-sex hormone therapy already in progress may continue, but only until the affected service member separates from the military, in order to prevent medical complications.
Transgender service members were notified last week that they have between 30 and 60 days to leave the military or face involuntary separation. Active-duty personnel must separate by June 6, while reservists have until July 7.
This policy change follows a Supreme Court decision that allowed a previously blocked ban on transgender military service to be enforced. The ruling lifted a lower court’s injunction, enabling the Department of Defense to move forward with its updated policies.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said the decision allows the department to resume policies focused on “Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness.” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, in a separate memo, stated that those diagnosed with or showing symptoms of gender dysphoria may choose to leave voluntarily, but failure to do so could lead to mandatory separation.
The Supreme Court did not rule on the underlying legal questions but allowed President Donald Trump’s January 27 executive order barring transgender individuals from military service to take effect. While a lower court had blocked the policy, Trump administration officials argued that the delay was detrimental to military readiness.
Supporters of the policy argue it reinforces the military’s focus on unit cohesion, readiness, discipline, and cost-efficiency. Trump’s order also instructed the Pentagon to update its medical standards to prioritize combat effectiveness and to remove gender identity-based pronouns from use within the department.
The previous ban on transgender military service was lifted under President Barack Obama in 2014. The current policy shift comes amid broader efforts by Pentagon leadership under Secretary Hegseth to scale back diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. Hegseth recently reported that 99.9% of DEI-related initiatives had been eliminated and announced uniform fitness standards to apply equally to male and female troops.
