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The United States Navy has issued a directive requiring transgender sailors and Marines to either voluntarily separate by March 28 or face involuntary discharge.

This policy follows a broader campaign by the Trump administration to exclude transgender individuals from military service and countless other actions against the transgender community.

Transgender troops must leave the US Navy

The guidance, released on March 13, stipulates that service members who do not identify with their birth-assigned gender must opt for voluntary honourable separation or be subject to forced removal later this month.

Those who choose voluntary separation may receive separation pay based on their years of service and will not be required to repay bonuses or incentive pay.

A memo signed by Navy Secretary Terence Emmert stated the Navy’s position: 鈥淭he Department of the Navy recognises two sexes: male and female. An individual’s sex is immutable, unchanging during a person’s life.鈥�

This directive is part of a series of actions following President Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at banning transgender individuals from all branches of the U.S. military.

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth endorsed this stance in early February, stating that the navy 鈥渕ust ensure it is building 鈥榦ne force鈥� without sub-groups defined by anything other than ability or mission adherence.鈥�

However, there is no evidence suggesting that transgender troops are any less capable than their cisgender counterparts.

The Navy has stated it will not actively seek out transgender service members but expects them to self-identify, stating in a memo that 鈥淭he chief of naval operations and the commandment of the Marine Corps will maximise the use of all available command authorities to ensure impacted personnel are afforded dignity and respect.”

Estimates indicate that at least 4,240 service members across active duty and reserve components could be affected by this policy.

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) reports that approximately 15,000 active-duty personnel identify as transgender or non-binary.

The Navy’s policy is part of a broader pattern of actions by the Trump administration targeting the transgender community. Civil rights groups have initiated legal action against executive orders issued by President Trump that target Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs. These orders have raised concerns about the rollback of protections and support for marginalised communities.

The administration faced backlash for removing references to transgender individuals from the official website of the Stonewall National Monument. This move was perceived as an attempt to erase the contributions and history of transgender individuals in the 17c起草社区IA+ movement. Additionally, an executive order was signed to restrict transgender Americans from participating in sports among a raft of other legislative changes.

In response to these policies, advocacy groups have mobilised to challenge the administration’s actions. Organisations like Lambda Legal and the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) have pledged swift legal action against the transgender military service ban, in defence of the rights of transgender individuals to serve their country.

This week President Trump raised eyebrows again when he stated in a press conference that 鈥渆verything is transgender, everybody transgender.”

鈥淭hat鈥檚 all you hear about. That鈥檚 why we won the election in record numbers” he claimed.