Washington: The Pentagon interrupts health care stating the sexes for transgender troops while it evolves to implement President Donald Trump’s plan on Monday to remove them from the US military, according to a memo seen by Reuters on Monday.
Instructions from the Ministry of Defense have prohibited any new hormonal treatment as well as any surgical procedure for transgender troops, said the memo.
“I direct you to take the necessary measures to immediately implement these guidelines,” said Stephen Ferrara, acting assistant secretary for the defense of health affairs, in memo.
The Pentagon referred questions to the Defense Health Agency, which did not immediately answer a comment request.
Shannon Minister of the National Center for Lesbian Rights said that the abrupt end of health care was “unnecessarily disrespectful and cruel”.
“It is shameful that the army of our country would deal with any member of the service in this way,” said Minter.
A member of the Transgender service, speaking under the cover of anonymity for fear of being targeted, described the decision as “the last slap opposite” of the troops serving honorably.
“If there was any doubt, there is no more: the members of the Transgender service are no longer entitled to the same level of medical care as their peers,” said the service member.
On May 6, the United States Supreme Court allowed Trump administration to implement its ban on transgender people in the army, allowing the armed forces to reject the thousands of current transgender troops and to reject new recruits while legal challenges are taking place.
Reuters reported last week a service note showing that the US Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, had published instructions to start withdrawing the transgender troops which do not choose to go voluntarily by June 6.
There are 4,240 active transgender troops and the American National Guard, officials said. Transgender rights defenders have provided higher estimates.
Trump signed a decree in January, after his return to the presidency, which reversed a policy implemented under his predecessor Joe Biden who had allowed the transgender troops to serve openly.
A Gallup survey published in February revealed that 58% of Americans favored that transgender individuals openly served in the army, but support had increased from 71% in 2019.
Former host of Fox News, Hegseth has adopted conservative positions on cultural war issues, in particular by eliminating diversity initiatives in the Pentagon. Hegseth had clearly indicated his opposition to care claiming the sexes for transgender troops in a position on social networks last month.
Republishing an article which said that the Pentagon would resume treatments for transgender troops, Hegseth said: “If this is true – we will find a possible way to stop it.”
“Taxpayers should never pay this madness,” added Hegseth.
