Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's Pentagon has paused all medical procedures for transgender military members. In a memo dated February 7, the Department of Defense said its mission "requires Service members to abide by strict mental and physical standards," and that the force's "lethality, readiness, and warfighting capability" depends on "Service members meeting those standards."
"The Department must ensure it is building 'One Force' without subgroups defined by anything other than ability or mission adherence. Efforts to split our troops along lines of identity weaken our force and make us vulnerable. Such efforts must not be tolerated or accommodated," the document adds.
