EXCLUSIVE-Pentagon halting gender-affirming healthcare for transgender troops, memo says

By Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali

WASHINGTON, May 12 (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.