US Navy, Marine Corps boards defy Trump's transgender military ban, vote to retain troops

US Navy and Marine Corps review boards have voted to retain transgender service members in most of the cases they have considered, defying expectations under the Trump administration's policy to remove transgender personnel from the military. In September, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used a slur while telling an auditorium of Marines that he was removing all transgender troops from the military.

The Pentagon had established review boards at military bases around the world, staffed by serving military personnel and given instructions that appeared designed to ensure transgender service members would be discharged. However, at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia, boards tasked with implementing the policy were reaching a different conclusion. Rather than dismissing transgender Marines, they were voting to retain them. Similar outcomes emerged in the Navy, where boards instructed to discharge sailors were instead voting to let them remain in service.

The trend extends beyond isolated cases. Navy and Marine Corps boards have voted to retain transgender service members in nine of the 12 cases considered. The Pentagon has kept the proceedings confidential, barring outsiders, including spouses, from attending. Officials have not released official figures or publicly discussed the decisions. The number of Navy and Marine Corps cases remains small and could change as additional hearings take place. A similar pattern has not emerged in the Army or Air Force, where boards have overwhelmingly voted to discharge transgender service members.

Also Read: US midterms 2026: Trump administration sues to block Alaska Senate election certification if Republican Dan Sullivan loses. What's happening?

Trump's administration says transgender troops affect military effectiveness

The Trump administration estimates that transgender service members account for around 4,250 people, or approximately 0.1 per cent of the military. It argues that their presence imposes costs and undermines military effectiveness, a position contradicted by military findings. During his first week in office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order barring transgender troops from serving, arguing that the measure was necessary to remove what he described as dishonourable radicals who damage morale and waste resources.

“For the sake of our Nation and the patriotic Americans who volunteer to serve it, military service must be reserved for those mentally and physically fit for duty,” the order read. The Pentagon subsequently introduced a policy offering financial incentives to transgender service members who agreed to leave voluntarily. Hundreds of highly qualified personnel, including doctors, lawyers, pilots and nuclear technicians, departed. Those who remained to challenge their dismissal faced prolonged uncertainty, with some waiting more than a year for their cases to be heard.

The administration then established three-member separation boards to review the remaining cases under a narrow set of instructions. Under the rules, any evidence of transgender feelings or tendencies, even without a formal transition, requires dismissal. The boards consist of officers and enlisted personnel temporarily assigned to hear individual cases, similar to civilian juries. They are not permitted to consider whether a service member is a high performer, works in a critical career field or has received decorations for combat service.

Members receive a one-page findings sheet and are instructed to identify evidence that a service member is transgender and therefore ineligible to continue serving. However, the outcomes have not always followed the intended approach. Transgender Marines and sailors who appeared before the boards said they expected to be dismissed after months of criticism from senior government officials. Instead, they encountered fellow service members who considered their records and voted to retain them.

Army boards continue to discharge transgender personnel

Across the military, hearings generally follow a similar format. A government lawyer presents medical records and other documents indicating that a service member is transgender. The defence then spends hours presenting the individual's service history, achievements, awards and performance evaluations, often calling witnesses to speak about the person's character. “It all made no difference,” said Major. Kara Corcoran, an infantry officer who has served for 18 years and deployed to Afghanistan twice. An Army board voted in May to dismiss her in what she called a “kangaroo court.”

“They cut off my character witnesses halfway through and said, ‘We get it, your service is commendable, that’s not what we’re here to decide,’” said Major Corcoran, who now heads the trans advocacy group SPARTA Pride. “The government lawyer, the board, they thought it was ridiculous, but I think they felt they had no choice.”

Navy and Marine Corps hearings have followed a similar format, but their outcomes have differed significantly. In the Navy, which began hearings in July, nine boards have resulted in seven votes to retain sailors, according to lawyers involved in the proceedings. In the Marine Corps, which started hearings in August, three boards have resulted in two votes to retain service members. In the third case, the board voted to dismiss a Marine but recorded that its members unanimously believed the individual should be retained based on his commendable service record and unique skills.