An U.S. flag is pictured on the arm of a soldier of the U.S. 2nd Cavalry Regiment as gear is prepared for deployment to Romania at Rose Barracks in Vilseck, Germany, February 9, 2022. REUTERS/Lukas Barth/File Photo
Share
|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Pentagon is halting gender-affirming healthcare for transgender troops as it moves to kick them out of the U.S. military, according to a memo seen by Reuters on Monday.
“I am directing you to take the necessary steps to immediately implement this guidance,” Stephen Ferrara, the acting assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, said in the memo.
The Pentagon referred questions to the Defense Health Agency, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Reuters first reported last week a memo showing that U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued instructions to the Pentagon to start kicking out transgender troops who do not elect to leave on their own by June 6.
The actions illustrate how President Donald Trump’s administration intends to swiftly act to remove thousands of transgender servicemembers after a Supreme Court ruling last week cleared the way for a ban to take effect.
There are 4,240 U.S. active-duty and National Guard transgender troops, officials have said. Transgender rights advocates have given higher estimates.
—
(Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali; Editing by Leslie Adler and Howard Goller)
RELATED TOPICS:
Categories
Tulare County Man Convicted of Child Molestation During Burglary Faces Life Without Parole
Fresno Man Arrested After Stolen City Vehicle Pursuit, Fires in Madera County
Former MLB All-Star Breaks Ground on BMW/Porsche/Audi Dealership in Clovis
Fresno, Clovis to Open Cooling Centers as Temperatures Expected to Soar
Costco Misses Quarterly Revenue Expectations Amid Reduced Consumer Spending
Tulare County Authorities Respond to Double Shooting in Goshen
