Pentagon halts healthcare for transgender troops as Trump's ban takes effect

WASHINGTON: The Pentagon is halting gender-affirming healthcare for transgender troops as it moves to implement President Donald Trump's plan to remove them from the US military, according to a memo seen by Reuters on Monday.

The instructions from the Defence Department barred any new hormone treatments as well as any surgical procedures for transgender troops, the memo said.

"I am directing you to take the necessary steps to immediately implement this guidance," Stephen Ferrara, the acting assistant secretary of defence for health affairs, said in the memo.

The Pentagon referred questions to the Defence Health Agency, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Shannon Minter of the National Centre for Lesbian Rights said that the abrupt termination of healthcare was "needlessly disrespectful and cruel".

"It is shameful that our nation's military would treat any service member this way," Minter said.

One transgender service member, speaking on condition of anonymity out of fear of being targeted, called the decision "the latest slap in the face" to troops serving honourably.

"If there was any doubt left, there is not anymore: transgender service members are no longer entitled to the same standard of medical care as their peers," the service member said.

The US Supreme Court on May 6 permitted Trump's administration to implement his ban on transgender people in the military, allowing the armed forces to discharge the thousands of current transgender troops and reject new recruits while legal challenges play out.

Reuters first reported last week a memo showing that US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth issued instructions to begin removing transgender troops who do not elect to leave voluntarily by June 6.

There are 4,240 US active-duty and National Guard transgender troops, officials have said. Transgender rights advocates have provided higher estimates.

Trump signed an executive order in January, after returning to the presidency, that reversed a policy implemented under his predecessor Joe Biden which had allowed transgender troops to serve openly.

A Gallup poll published in February found that 58% of Americans favoured allowing openly transgender individuals to serve in the military, but support had declined from 71% in 2019.

A former Fox News host, Hegseth has embraced conservative stances on culture war issues, including eliminating diversity initiatives at the Pentagon. Hegseth had made clear his opposition to gender-affirming care for transgender troops in a post on social media last month.

Re-posting an article that said the Pentagon would resume treatments for transgender troops, Hegseth said: "If this is true – we will find any way possible to stop it."

"Taxpayers should NEVER pay for this lunacy," Hegseth added.