The Pentagon is reportedly searching military medical and personnel records to identify transgender service members as the Trump administration continues efforts to remove trans people from the US armed forces.
According to reporting by Federal News Network, military officials have used electronic health records and personnel databases to identify troops who have a current or past diagnosis of gender dysphoria or other information that may indicate they are transgender.
Commanders have then reportedly been notified that particular personnel may fall under the Pentagon’s current restrictions and instructed to begin separation proceedings.
The sweep is believed to have identified several hundred active-duty and reserve personnel, as well as some military academy and Reserve Officer Training Corps cadets.
Private Medical Records Used To Flag Personnel
Military health records can contain highly sensitive information, including diagnoses, prescriptions, mental health treatment and records relating to care received before someone entered the armed forces.
An internal Air Force email obtained by Federal News Network reportedly said the Office of the Secretary of Defense had identified personnel who “may have a current diagnosis or history of or exhibit symptoms consistent with gender dysphoria in their electronic healthcare record”.
That has raised particular concern among trans service members and advocates because the process appears to extend beyond people who have publicly identified themselves as transgender.
Some personnel reportedly transitioned years ago and received healthcare while serving under earlier Pentagon policies that permitted transgender people to serve openly.
They are now facing possible discharge because the policy governing their service has changed.
Some Non-Trans Troops Reportedly Flagged
Attorney Priya Rashid, who represents affected service members, told Federal News Network that the searches have also caught some people who are not transgender.
According to Rashid, certain medical procedures, diagnoses or treatment histories have apparently triggered scrutiny even where a service member does not identify as trans.
That has added to concerns about how broadly medical databases are being searched and how accurately the information is being interpreted.
The Pentagon has declined to provide detailed answers about the reported searches, citing ongoing litigation.
Legal Battle Is Far From Over
The Trump administration reinstated restrictions on transgender military service after returning to office in 2025, arguing that gender dysphoria and associated medical treatment are incompatible with military standards and readiness.
Those claims have been strongly contested by affected troops, LGBTQ+ advocates and medical experts.
Several lawsuits are challenging the policy.
In June 2026, a divided panel of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the Pentagon policy unlawfully excluded personnel based on gender identity.
The administration has since asked the US Supreme Court to intervene and allow the Pentagon to continue discharging transgender troops while the wider legal battle proceeds.
The Supreme Court has not yet delivered a final ruling on the underlying constitutionality of the policy.
Privacy And Trust Under Scrutiny
For transgender personnel, the reported searches add another dimension to a policy already threatening careers built over years or decades.
The concern is no longer only whether someone can openly serve as trans. It is also whether information provided to military doctors for healthcare can later be used to identify them for removal from service.
Advocates argue that such practices could undermine trust between service members and military healthcare providers, particularly if personnel begin worrying that seeking treatment could later be used against them.
Many of those now facing separation joined, transitioned or sought treatment while following the rules that applied at the time.
Whatever the courts ultimately decide about the Pentagon’s policy, the reported use of private health records to uncover transgender personnel is likely to remain one of its most controversial elements.
