A federal court on June 1, 2026, blocked the Pentagon from removing current transgender service members while a lawsuit challenging the policy proceeds.
A 2016 RAND Corporation study commissioned by the Department of Defense estimated between 1,320 and 6,630 transgender personnel were serving on active duty out of roughly 1.3 million troops.
Policy on transgender military service has shifted across recent administrations, with open service permitted in 2016, restricted in 2019, broadly allowed again in 2021, and restricted in 2025.
Supporters of open service argue exclusion removes qualified volunteers and that allied militaries including the UK, Canada, Israel, and Australia permit transgender personnel to serve.
Critics argue gender-transition-related medical care can affect deployability and unit readiness, and that military service standards should be set by the executive branch and Congress, not the courts.