Politics · United States · 2 hrs ago
US Navy and Marine Corps boards retain trans troops in most cases
US Navy and Marine Corps boards have kept transgender troops in nine of 12 cases reviewed so far.
The cases involve service members appearing before review boards at US military bases around the world.
The Pentagon set up the boards to decide whether transgender troops should be removed under a ban backed by President Donald Trump and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The boards were given strict rules that favored removing the troops who appeared before them.
Some board members instead pointed to service records and skills when deciding who could stay.
Their decisions challenge the policy to remove all transgender troops, though the final decisions can still be reversed.
Legal challenges to the ban are continuing, and the sources do not say what will happen next in the cases.
US Navy and Marine Corps review boards retained transgender service members in nine of 12 cases, according to the New York Times as reported by the Straits Times.
The boards’ decisions run against orders to remove transgender troops from the military.
Some boards gave weight to service records and skills.
The decisions could still be reversed, and legal challenges are continuing.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced in September that he was removing transgender troops from the military.
- Who
- US Navy and Marine Corps review boards and transgender service members.
- What
- The boards retained transgender troops in nine of 12 cases.
- When
- The article was published on October 27, 2026. Hegseth made his announcement in September.
- Where
- At US military bases around the globe.
- Why
- Some boards considered service records and skills important, despite orders to remove transgender troops.
US Navy and Marine Corps review boards
Pentagon leadership and the military ban
Treatment of transgender troops
US Navy and Marine Corps review boards
Some boards retained them, citing strong service records and skills.
Pentagon leadership and the military ban
Pentagon orders were intended to remove transgender troops from the military.
Board decisions
US Navy and Marine Corps review boards
The boards kept troops in nine of 12 cases.
Pentagon leadership and the military ban
The decisions may be reversed, and legal challenges are continuing.
Hegseth announced to an auditorium of Marines that he was removing transgender troops from the military.
Navy and Marine Corps boards retained transgender service members in nine of 12 cases.
- Cases retained
- 9 of 12
- Review locations
- US military bases around the globe
- Announcement
- Hegseth spoke to an auditorium of Marines in September
- Decisions
- Final outcomes can still be reversed