The Department of Defense under Trump has introduced a sweeping new policy that directs military commanders to actively identify transgender service members, or those who have been diagnosed with gender dysphoria, and submit them for medical evaluation — a process that could ultimately lead to their removal from military service.
Under the authority of Executive Order 14183, signed in January 2025, the Trump administration declared that identifying with a gender different from one’s biological sex is incompatible with military readiness, unit cohesion, and the standards expected of service members. The new policy operationalizes that approach by requiring commanders to flag individuals who may fall into that category, rather than relying on self-identification or voluntary disclosure.
The implementation plan uses existing medical readiness cycles — annual health assessments and medical screenings — to screen for indicators of gender dysphoria, placing the burden on commanders to initiate evaluations. Officials say that service members with a current diagnosis, history, or symptoms consistent with gender dysphoria may be declared medically unfit, triggering involuntary discharge processes. The policy does not simply demand new enlistments be blocked — it applies to those already serving.
Many advocacy groups and civil rights observers have responded with alarm, arguing the policy is discriminatory and legally precarious. They point out that the new rules apply broadly to any history or symptom of gender dysphoria, without requiring any demonstration that such a condition undermines a person’s performance. Some also note that transgender service members have long served effectively in U.S. forces without measurable harm to cohesion or combat readiness — evidence that counters the administration’s justification.
The Supreme Court has already weighed in: in May 2025, it temporarily allowed the enforcement of Trump’s transgender military ban while legal challenges continue, overturning prior injunctions that blocked the policy. While the courts debate the constitutionality, the Pentagon is pressing forward with implementation.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has supported the policy, stating that transgender service members found to have gender dysphoria symptoms will be offered a short window to separate voluntarily before being discharged involuntarily. Some service members may be assessed under a separation code labeled JDK, typically reserved for national security concerns, which can impose restrictions on future federal employment or security clearances.
The policy’s ripple effects are already being felt. Some military personnel are reportedly facing uncertainty about their futures, while others are urged to self-identify before commanders initiate a screening. Critics argue compelling individuals to “out” themselves or be outed by commanders can have severe psychological consequences, especially in an environment where military culture often rewards conformity and silence.
This sweeping change marks one of the most sweeping reversals in U.S. military policy on transgender service members in decades. Whether it survives court challenges or is modified under pressure remains to be seen. But for now, transgender troops and their advocates face a drastically altered playing field: one in which their identity may no longer remain invisible to those in command.
