In a long-overdue move, the U.S. Army announced that it would no longer accept transgender individuals for enlistment. This decision reverses previous policies established during the Biden administration and aligns with efforts to restore military readiness and uphold standards. Conservatives who argue that the focus should be on military effectiveness have praised the choice, and concerns regarding the potential impacts of transgender inclusion on military readiness and cohesion have been longstanding.
In a social media post on Friday, the U.S. Army announced it would stop accepting transgender service members, and it would cease “performing or facilitating procedures related to gender transition for service members.” This new policy would also extend to individuals with a history of gender dysphoria who plan to enlist in the service.
However, the U.S. Army recognized enlisted service members with "gender dysphoria" in a follow-up post, stating they "volunteered to serve our country and will be treated with dignity and respect.”
“The Army is ensuring compliance with recent executive actions,” U.S. Army Spokesperson Christopher Surridge said in a statement.
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.
— U.S. Army (@USArmy) February 14, 2025
Stay tuned for more details.
The announcement from the military branch comes after President Donald Trump’s executive order, which directed the Pentagon to create a policy for transgender service members within 30 days. Per Trump’s order, "a gender identity inconsistent with an individual's sex conflicts with a soldier's commitment to an honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle, even in one's personal life,” and those doing so "cannot satisfy the rigorous standards necessary for military service.”
Last week, I reported on Department of Defense (DOD) Secretary Pete Hegseth’s Feb. 7 memo that aligned with Trump’s executive order and took a bold stand by advocating for a ban on future transgender soldiers in the military while pushing for sweeping changes that would impact current service members.
“Effective immediately, all new accessions for individuals with a history of gender dysphoria are paused,” Hegseth’s memo read. “All scheduled, unscheduled, or planned medical procedures associated with affirming or facilitating a gender transition for service members are paused."