The Pentagon is halting gender-affirming healthcare for transgender troops as it moves to implement President Donald Trump’s plan to remove them from the US military.
The instructions from the Defence Department barred any new hormone treatments as well as any surgical procedures for transgender troops, the memo said.
“I am directing you to take the necessary steps to immediately implement this guidance,” Stephen Ferrara, the acting assistant secretary of defence for health affairs, said in the memo.
The US Supreme Court on May 6 permitted Trump’s administration to implement his ban on transgender people in the military, allowing the armed forces to discharge the thousands of current transgender troops and reject recruits while legal challenges play out.
There are 4,240 US active-duty and National Guard transgender troops, officials have said. Transgender rights advocates have provided higher estimates.
Trump signed an executive order in January, after returning to the presidency, that reversed a policy implemented under his predecessor, Joe Biden, which had allowed transgender troops to serve openly.
A former Fox News host, Hegseth has embraced conservative stances on culture war issues, including eliminating diversity initiatives at the Pentagon. Hegseth had made clear his opposition to gender-affirming care for transgender troops in a post on social media last month.
Re-posting an article that said the Pentagon would resume treatments for transgender troops, Hegseth said: “If this is true, we will find any way possible to stop it.”
“Taxpayers should NEVER pay for this lunacy,” Hegseth added.)
