The Pentagon reports over 1,000 military personnel who openly identify as transgender will be separated from service.
A separation process began on Thursday, giving individuals who had not yet progressed in their transition a 30-day notice to leave their positions.
The Department of Defense (DOD) has also initiated a review of medical records, uncovering additional individuals who have not come forward yet, challenging the previously reported estimate of roughly 15,000 transgender servicemembers actively serving.
These actions follow a recent decision by the Supreme Court, which has allowed the Trump administration to enforce longstanding bans on transgender individuals in the military.
In a straightforward order, the justices granted a request to lift a nationwide injunction that would block the policy.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegses confirmed the separation measures in a memo and expressed his stance on social media after the court’s ruling, stating, “Trans is out in DOD.”
DOD officials have acknowledged the challenges in accurately determining the number of transgender servicemembers, but medical records indicate that some individuals have been diagnosed with gender dysphoria and are receiving treatment.
As of December 9, 2024, there are reported to be 4,240 active duty members, including National Guard and reserve personnel experiencing gender violations, although officials concede that these figures may be inflated.
The total military personnel count stands at approximately 2.1 million.
A Rasmussen report from January 29-30 indicated that 54% of respondents support Trump’s executive order banning transgender individuals from military service, including 38% who strongly support the policy.
Conversely, a report showed that 41% disapproved of discharging transgender military members, with 30% expressing strong disapproval of the policy.
