The Pentagon has announced even more policies to undercut transgender military service members fighting to stay in the armed forces by changing the rules regarding military separation boards which could decide in their favor.
BREAKING: A new Pentagon policy undercuts the ability for trans troops to argue to remain in the military following Trump ban, AP learns. https://t.co/Ko2ANJIFny
— The Associated Press (@AP) October 31, 2025
From AP News:
If military separation boards decide to allow transgender service members to remain in uniform, commanders can override that decision, according to an Oct. 8 memo to all the services from the Pentagon’s undersecretary for personnel and readiness, Anthony Tata. That breaks with longstanding policy that boards act independently.
The administration’s policies have faced pushback in the courts as trans troops and their supporters say they have proven their worth to the military, but the U.S. Supreme Court in May allowed the ban to be enforced while legal challenges proceed.
The new memo, which advocates say was only made available to troops last week, also sets up an additional hurdle of requiring that trans service members appear before separation boards in uniforms that match the gender assigned to them at birth — and if they fail to do so, their absence can be used against them.
Clearly, the uniform mandate will force a lot of people not to be able to attend their separation board hearings.
This is all just the latest in the Trump administration’s attempts to remove trans troops.
In August, the Air Force announced that trans airmen who are being kicked out thanks to the Trump administration’s directive will not even get the opportunity to argue their case before a board of their peers for the right to continue their military service.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says removing these troops will make the U.S. military “more lethal” even though many trans service members have served 10-15 years with honor and distinction.
Pentagon policy change lets commanders override decisions on transgender troops’ status–> https://t.co/HmOchPgi2V pic.twitter.com/BFaBLtvxua pic.twitter.com/NxNDTy25US
— FOX SA (@KABBFOX29) November 1, 2025
Discover more from The Randy Report
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.