Washington – According to a memo obtained by Reuters, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has issued internal instructions to the Pentagon to begin kicking out transgender troops who do not choose to leave on their own terms by June 6.
The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Reuters contacted transgender rights activists, who immediately condemned the decision.
“It is just shameful,” said Jennifer Levi, senior director of the pro-LGBTQ legal organization GLAD Law.
“It is senseless to fast track people out of the military who are meeting standards and putting lives on the line to defend the country.”
Hegseth’s memo demonstrates how President Donald Trump’s administration intends to act quickly to remove thousands of transgender service members following the Supreme Court’s decision on Tuesday, which cleared the way for a ban to take effect.
In the memo, Hegseth stated that active-duty transgender troops could identify themselves for “voluntary separation” from the US armed forces until June 6. Reserve troops had until July 7th.
“On conclusion of the self-identification eligibility window, the Military Departments will initiate involuntary separation processes,” the memorandum stated.
The Pentagon’s ban is one of several steps taken by the Trump administration to restrict transgender rights.
In January, after assuming the presidency, Trump issued an executive order reversing a policy implemented by his Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden, that allowed transgender troops to serve openly in the American military. Biden stated at the time, “America is safer when everyone qualified to serve can do so openly and with pride.”
There were 4,240 transgender troops on active duty and in the National Guard in the United States as of late last year, according to officials. Transgender rights advocates have given higher estimates.
