In a sweeping policy shift, the Pentagon will begin discharging transgender service members from the military starting in June 7, 2025.
A memo from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday, May 8, outlines the new enforcement schedule following a Supreme Court ruling.
Active-duty transgender troops must choose voluntary separation from the military by June 6, 2025.
Transgender reservists have until July 7, 2025, to leave voluntarily or face removal.
After these deadlines, military departments will begin involuntary separation procedures for those who remain.
The Pentagon has not officially commented on the memo or the policy timeline.
Transgender rights advocates have strongly condemned the decision, calling it discriminatory and harmful.
“It is shameful,” said Jennifer Levi, senior director at LGBTQ+ advocacy group GLAD Law.
“It makes no sense to remove troops who are capable and risking their lives,” Levi added.
This move follows a Supreme Court decision allowing the transgender military ban to take effect.
President Trump signed an executive order in January reversing transgender inclusion policies from President Biden’s administration.
Biden previously stated that qualified individuals should serve openly and with pride.
As of late 2024, over 4,200 transgender individuals were serving in active-duty and National Guard roles.
Advocates believe the real number of transgender troops may be higher than official estimates.
Protests erupted during the Transgender Day of Visibility on March 31, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
Demonstrators called the policy unjust and politically motivated against LGBTQ+ Americans.
Critics argue the policy undermines military readiness by removing trained and committed personnel.
Supporters of the ban say it protects unit cohesion and operational focus within the armed forces.
The Pentagon’s transgender ban is part of broader rollbacks on LGBTQ+ rights under Trump’s current term.
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