The Pentagon has announced an immediate ban on transgender individuals enlisting in the United States military while also halting all gender transition-related medical procedures for current service members. The policy, enacted through a memo signed by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on February 7 and released on February 10, is a direct implementation of an executive order issued by President Donald Trump in January 27. This move marks a reversal of the policies established under former President Joe Biden, who had lifted Trump’s initial ban on transgender service members in 2021.

The decision to reinstate the ban aligns with Trump’s broader stance against what he has labeled as “radical gender ideology” in the armed forces. The new directive states:

“Effective immediately, all new accessions for individuals with a history of gender dysphoria are paused, and all unscheduled, scheduled, or planned medical procedures associated with affirming or facilitating a gender transition for service members are paused.”

While the policy will not lead to the immediate expulsion of currently serving transgender individuals, their future within the military remains uncertain as additional guidelines for implementation are still forthcoming.

Hegseth, a former Fox News host and US National Guard veteran, has made it clear that his leadership will move away from diversity-driven policies in the military. Just days before issuing the transgender policy memo, Hegseth publicly denounced diversity initiatives, referring to the phrase “diversity is our strength” as “the dumbest........

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