The U.S. military will begin expelling transgender service members who do not voluntarily separate by June 6, according to a confidential Pentagon memo issued by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and obtained by Reuters. The directive follows a recent Supreme Court ruling that cleared the way for a reinstatement of the ban on transgender individuals serving openly in the armed forces.
The controversial order, which has not yet been publicly acknowledged by the Pentagon, marks a significant shift in U.S. military policy and is already drawing fierce backlash from LGBTQ rights advocates.
“It is just shameful,” said Jennifer Levi, senior director at the pro-LGBTQ legal group GLAD Law. “It is senseless to fast track people out of the military who are meeting standards and putting lives on the line to defend the country.”
Deadline for Voluntary Separation
According to Hegseth’s memo, active-duty transgender troops have until June 6 to voluntarily identify for separation. Reserve troops will have until July 7. After those dates, involuntary discharge procedures will begin for those who have not already left.
“On conclusion of the self-identification eligibility window, the Military Departments will initiate involuntary separation processes,” the memo reads.
Transgender troops who had previously submitted separation requests before a March court ruling halted implementation of the Trump-era ban will also be immediately removed.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth attends a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte (not pictured) at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 24, 2025. REUTERS/Nathan Howard
Policy Reversal and Trump’s Broader Agenda
This latest move is part of President Donald Trump’s broader push to roll back transgender rights, a key component of his campaign and governing agenda. On his first day back in office in January, Trump signed an executive order declaring that the U.S. government would recognize only two sexes — male and female — and that these are “not changeable.”
The new policy sharply contrasts with the more inclusive approach taken under previous Democratic administrations. President Barack Obama first allowed transgender individuals to serve openly in 2016, and President Joe Biden reversed Trump’s 2017 ban on transgender enlistment, arguing that “America is safer when everyone qualified to serve can do so openly and with pride.”
As of late 2024, the U.S. military had an estimated 4,240 active-duty and National Guard transgender troops, according to defense officials. Advocacy groups claim the real number is significantly higher.
Cultural Tensions at the Pentagon
Defense Secretary Hegseth, a former Fox News host and a vocal figure in America’s culture wars, has moved quickly to reshape the Pentagon’s stance on diversity, inclusion, and social issues. Speaking at a military conference earlier this week, Hegseth stated:
“No more pronouns, no more climate-change obsessions, no more emergency vaccine mandates, no more dudes in dresses.”
His remarks have drawn criticism from human rights organizations and sparked concern within military and civilian communities about the direction of Pentagon leadership under the current administration.
Public Opinion Shifting
Despite the administration’s aggressive stance, a February Gallup poll found that 58% of Americans still support allowing openly transgender individuals to serve in the military. However, that figure is down from 71% in 2019, indicating a shift in public sentiment amid ongoing political polarization.
As the June 6 deadline approaches, legal challenges and political fallout are expected to intensify, with civil rights groups already preparing to contest the policy in court.
