While the administration argues that transgender service is "incompatible" with the military's mission, citing concerns over "cohesion" and "dishonesty," many argue that this harms military readiness.
Transgender troops and their supporters highlight that many affected have served for years, with some having deployed to combat zones.
The new Pentagon policy, which emphasizes a return to "tradition" and a focus on "lethality," has put thousands of transgender individuals in "survival mode".
Transgender service members and human rights groups have filed lawsuits, challenging the ban and arguing that forcing them to serve under their sex assigned at birth is discriminatory.
Personnel with a diagnosis of gender dysphoria are required to adhere to the uniform, grooming, and berthing standards associated with their sex assigned at birth.
The Pentagon memo established a departure deadline of June 6, 2025, for active component service members to voluntarily leave, with reserve components set for July 7, 2025.
Some service members, including Air Force Master Sergeant Logan Ireland, described being forced to wear uniforms that do not match their identity as a "betrayal" and a "costume-like effect".
Pentagon figures released in early 2025 showed that gender-affirming care has cost approximately million since 2015, a small fraction of the billion annual defense health budget.