The United States military announced it will no longer accept transgender individuals seeking to enlist, effective immediately. This decision also halts gender affirmation procedures for active service members.
The policy change, detailed in a memo filed at the US District Court in Washington, DC, on Monday, marks the latest effort by the Trump administration to curtail protections for transgender individuals.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated in the memo, dated February 7, that all new accessions for individuals with a history of gender dysphoria are paused, and all medical procedures related to gender transition for service members are halted.
Civil rights organizations filed for a temporary restraining order on February 3 against the decision on behalf of six transgender service members and two seeking to enlist, citing potential destabilization of the armed forces due to the removal of experienced personnel.
The Trump administration's actions extend beyond the military, with an order threatening to withhold funding for schools allowing transgender women to participate in women's sports, and Utah's legislature approving a bill banning transgender college students from living in dorms consistent with their gender identity on Monday.