Washington: The US Army has announced a significant policy change, stating that transgender individuals will no longer be allowed to enlist, and all gender transition-related medical procedures will be halted. This decision follows an executive order signed by President Donald Trump.

According to Philippines News Agency, the executive order also pauses all new accessions for individuals with a history of gender dysphoria and halts "all unscheduled, scheduled, or planned" medical procedures associated with affirming or facilitating a gender transition for current service members. The US Army emphasized that those with gender dysphoria who have volunteered to serve will still be treated with dignity and respect.

The recent order is part of a series of executive directives by President Trump aimed at reshaping military policies, including a comprehensive ban on transgender individuals serving openly. President Trump asserted that these measures are intended to maintain "the most lethal fighting force in the world" by removing what he referred to as "transgender ideology" from the military.

The order explicitly states that a "false 'gender identity' divergent from an individual's sex" cannot meet the stringent standards required for military service. It also mandates the cessation of "invented and identification-based" pronoun usage within the military. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has been given 60 days to implement the new policy on gender identity as outlined in the order.