WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Department of Defense has announced an immediate pause on all gender transition-related medical procedures for service members and has barred new enlistments of individuals with a history of gender dysphoria, according to a memorandum issued by Defense Secretary Patrick B. Johnson on February 7, 2025.
The directive, addressed to senior Pentagon leadership and military commanders, cites a renewed focus on “military excellence and readiness,” emphasizing that service members must meet strict mental and physical standards to maintain the force’s warfighting capability.
“As the President clearly stated in Executive Order 14183, ‘Expressing a false ‘gender identity’ divergent from an individual’s sex cannot satisfy the rigorous standards necessary for Military Service,’” Johnson wrote in the memo, referencing an executive order issued on January 27, 2025.
Effective immediately, the policy halts all unscheduled, scheduled, or planned gender-affirming medical procedures, including sex reassignment surgery and hormone therapy for service members. Additionally, individuals with a history of gender dysphoria will no longer be allowed to enlist or receive officer commissions.
The Pentagon stated that while service members diagnosed with gender dysphoria will be “treated with dignity and respect,” the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness will provide further guidance on implementing the policy.
The decision marks a significant shift in military policy regarding transgender service members and their medical care, signaling a stricter approach to enlistment standards and gender identity recognition within the armed forces.