WASHINGTON, May 13 (Alliance News): The Pentagon has ordered an immediate halt to gender-affirming healthcare for transgender military personnel as part of President Donald Trump’s reinstated ban on transgender service members, according to an internal memo seen by Reuters on Monday.
The directive, issued by acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Stephen Ferrara, suspends all new hormone treatments and surgical procedures for transgender troops, marking a significant rollback of the inclusive policy introduced under former President Joe Biden.
“I am directing you to take the necessary steps to immediately implement this guidance,” Ferrara wrote in the memo. The Defence Health Agency has not yet commented publicly on the change.
The move follows a May 6 decision by the US Supreme Court allowing the Trump administration to enforce its ban while legal battles continue. Transgender personnel already serving now face potential discharge unless they voluntarily exit the military by June 6, as previously outlined by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth in another internal memo.
The ban affects an estimated 4,240 active-duty and National Guard transgender personnel, though advocacy groups suggest the true number is likely higher.
Reaction to the decision has been swift and critical. Shannon Minter of the National Center for Lesbian Rights called the policy “needlessly disrespectful and cruel,” adding, “It is shameful that our nation’s military would treat any service member this way.”
A transgender service member, speaking anonymously due to safety concerns, described the halt in healthcare access as “the latest slap in the face” and said it confirms that “transgender service members are no longer entitled to the same standard of medical care as their peers.”
Trump signed an executive order in January reversing Biden-era policies that had allowed transgender individuals to serve openly in the military. His administration’s stance is supported by Defence Secretary Hegseth, a former Fox News host and outspoken opponent of gender-affirming medical care in the armed forces.
Public opinion on the issue has shifted, with a Gallup poll from February indicating 58% of Americans support allowing transgender individuals to serve—down from 71% in 2019.
The new policy underscores a broader conservative push within the Pentagon to eliminate diversity initiatives and reshape military culture under Trump’s leadership.
