Trump plans to remove transgender soldiers from US military as he takes back office

US President-elect Donald Trump is preparing an executive order that would result in the removal of all transgender members from the U.S. military, according to local defence sources. 

This order could be signed on his first day back in office, January 20, 2025, and would affect an estimated 15,000 active service members who are transgender. They would be medically discharged, which would categorize them as unfit to serve, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

The new order would also prohibit transgender people from joining the military, a move that comes at a time when nearly every branch of the U.S. armed forces is struggling to meet its recruitment targets. Trump, 78, has frequently criticized “woke” policies within the military, claiming that high-ranking officers are more concerned with issues like diversity, equity, and inclusion than focusing on military readiness and combat strategy.

Unlike the ban instituted during his first term, which allowed those already serving to remain in their positions, the new policy is expected to be more sweeping. It would force even those with decades of service out of the military.

"These people will be forced out at a time when the military can’t recruit enough people," a source familiar with Trump’s plans said. "Only the Marine Corps is hitting its numbers for recruitment and some people who will be affected are in very senior positions."

While the Pentagon has not released an exact number of transgender service members, privacy policies make it challenging to track the data. However, it was reported that about 2,200 service members were diagnosed with gender dysphoria in 2021, when Trump’s first ban was lifted. The total number of active-duty personnel in the military is approximately 1.3 million.

Military charities, which fought against the trans ban during Trump’s first term, are anticipating the proposed policy change.

"Should a trans ban be implemented from day one of the Trump administration it would undermine the readiness of the military and create an even greater recruitment and retention crisis, not to mention signalling vulnerability to America’s adversaries," said Rachel Branaman, executive director of the Modern Military Association of America, an organization that advocates for LGBTQ+ military personnel and veterans.

Branaman added, "Abruptly discharging 15,000-plus service members, especially given that the military’s recruiting targets fell short by 41,000 recruits last year, adds administrative burdens to war fighting units, harms unit cohesion, and aggravates critical skill gaps. There would be a significant financial cost, as well as a loss of experience and leadership that will take possibly 20 years and billions of dollars to replace."

Trump has nominated Pete Hegseth, 44, a Fox News host and former U.S. National Guard major, as his defense secretary. Hegseth has been outspoken against what he calls "weak" and "effeminate" leadership in the military. He has argued in his recent book that "the next commander in chief will need to clean house" and described medical care for transgender personnel as an unnecessary expense.

Transgender personnel currently serving in the military have expressed concern over the potential impact of the proposed ban.

"There are very few members of my career field with this experience, and in the event of a large-scale contingency, it would be difficult to replace the level of experience that I bring to the table," said a U.S. Air Force non-commissioned officer, who requested anonymity.

Paulo Batista, a transgender analyst in the U.S. Navy, emphasized the broader consequences of such a move. "I have four years left on my contract," he said. "But you take 15,000 of us out — there’s more but that’s the number that is always mentioned — that’s 15,000 leadership positions, every one of us plays a vital role."

The analyst also pointed out the logistical difficulties of replacing the affected personnel. "There are junior enlisted personnel to high-end officers. You pull one of us out, that means others have to cover. These jobs could take months or even years to fill."

Batista dismissed the argument that the Pentagon faces spiraling costs due to gender dysphoria treatment. "There is no money being spent, it’s just continued care," he said. "People enlisting are just slightly hormone deficient, but the bigger picture is how many other people are going to be affected. Kicking out the 15,000 would affect the whole fleet, the whole battalion. It’s everyone."

By Khagan Isayev