The United States Department of Defense has issued a new policy that reduces the ability of transgender service members to appeal for retention in the U.S. armed forces, according to an Associated Press investigation.
Under the new directive, decisions made by military separation boards, previously independent peer tribunals, can now be overridden by commanders. If a board votes to allow a transgender service member to remain, a commander can still order separation. The policy also requires transgender troops to appear at hearings in uniforms that correspond to the gender listed on their birth certificates rather than their affirmed gender. Failure to comply may be used against them during proceedings.
Advocacy groups say the new rules are discriminatory and undercut merit-based service. SPARTA Pride, a nonprofit supporting transgender troops and veterans, called the uniform requirement especially harmful, noting that many service members no longer own or feel safe wearing uniforms aligned with their assigned sex at birth.
Master Sergeant Logan Ireland, a 15-year Air Force veteran and transgender man, said the requirement feels “like a costume.” He described the directive as “a betrayal of what the military has seen me as.”
The move is part of a broader shift in military policy under the Trump administration. Earlier this year, the Supreme Court allowed the enforcement of Trump’s executive order reinstating a ban on most transgender military service. Since then, transgender troops have faced pressure to separate voluntarily or risk involuntary discharge. Reports suggest the number of separations has already begun to climb.
Legal experts warn that the changes strip away due process. Boards of inquiry once served as independent adjudicators even in cases involving serious misconduct. Under the new framework, transgender service members now have fewer procedural protections than those accused of disciplinary offenses.
The Pentagon maintains that the policy is intended to improve “combat readiness” and ensure consistency across the force. Critics disagree, calling it a political maneuver rather than a readiness measure. “It does not account for the service member’s career history, accomplishments, or training,” said SPARTA Pride spokesperson Laila Gerson. “This is about ideology, not performance.”
For transgender troops still serving, the policy introduces new uncertainty. What was once a case-by-case process now depends heavily on whether a commander supports their continued service. The uniform mandate also adds both procedural and emotional barriers for those seeking to stay.
The memo marks a sharp reversal from previous efforts to promote inclusion within the armed forces. With these new rules, the Pentagon has shifted from defending the right of transgender troops to serve to actively limiting their ability to remain. As legal challenges move forward, thousands of qualified service members face the possibility of losing not only their careers but also their recognition as who they truly are.
“The dignity of service is at stake,” one advocate said.
