A new Gallup poll reveals that a majority of Americans believe transgender people should be allowed to serve in the military, though support has declined slightly from previous years.
The survey, conducted last month with 1,001 adults, found that 58% of respondents support trans individuals serving openly in the armed forces. While this represents a drop from previous years, it underscores continued public backing despite ongoing political controversy.
The poll highlights stark differences in support along party lines. Among Democrats, 84% expressed support for transgender military service. In contrast, only 23% of Republicans agreed—a sharp decline from 43% in 2019. Support among Independents also fell, from 78% to 62% over the same period.
The decrease in Republican support coincides with former President Donald Trump’s efforts to reinstate a ban on transgender individuals serving in the military.
According to a recently uncovered memo, Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth signed an order last week prohibiting those with a “history of gender dysphoria” from enlisting. The move follows Trump’s executive order laying the groundwork to reintroduce the ban, which had been repealed by President Joe Biden in 2021.
The new ban is already facing legal challenges. The Associated Press reports that six transgender service members have filed lawsuits contesting the policy.
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) has condemned the proposed ban, calling it “dangerous and discriminatory”. According to HRC, there are approximately 15,000 active-duty transgender or non-binary service members. Meanwhile, defence officials estimate the number to be in the low thousands, according to The Guardian.
