US Army halts acceptance of transgender recruits, reversing Biden-era policy

As of February 15, the US Army has officially stopped accepting transgender individuals for military service, marking a major policy shift.

The decision was announced in a statement on the Army’s X page, per Caliber.Az.

“The US Army will no longer allow transgender individuals to join the military and will stop performing or facilitating procedures associated with gender transition for service members,” the statement read.

The #USArmy will no longer allow transgender individuals to join the military and will stop performing or facilitating procedures associated with gender transition for service members.

Stay tuned for more details.

— U.S. Army (@USArmy) February 14, 2025

This move echoes a similar policy implemented by former President Donald Trump during his first term. In March 2018, Trump imposed a ban on transgender individuals joining the Armed Forces, though he allowed those already serving to remain. The policy was later reversed in 2021 by President Joe Biden, who reinstated the right of transgender individuals to serve openly.

Currently, an estimated 15,000 transgender people are serving in the US military. The Times reported that Trump, if elected again, is expected to take the policy further by issuing an executive order that would dismiss all transgender service members on medical grounds, classifying them as unfit for duty.

As of 2019, reports indicated that around 14,700 transgender individuals were serving in the US military. By 2021, approximately 2,200 service members had been diagnosed with gender dysphoria, a condition where individuals experience significant distress due to a mismatch between their gender identity and assigned sex. The total number of active-duty personnel in the US Armed Forces stands at around 1.3 million.

Beyond military service, Trump has previously imposed various restrictions on transgender rights. During his presidency, he barred transgender athletes from participating in women’s competitions, ordered transgender prisoners to be housed in men's facilities, and signed an executive order recognizing only two biological sexes — male and female.

Advocacy groups have strongly criticized these policies, arguing that they endanger transgender individuals and violate their rights.

By Tamilla Hasanova