On Thursday, the military revealed that only 4,240 transgender troops, or 0.2% of active duty personnel, have a gender dysphoria diagnosis, significantly lower than the previous estimate of 15,000. This announcement follows the Trump administration’s policy restricting trans service members, citing disruptions and healthcare costs. Since 2015, $52 million has been spent on gender-affirming care, averaging $9,000 per service member, with half requiring no medical care and a quarter undergoing surgery. The data release was mandated by a federal judge following a lawsuit from trans service members challenging the discriminatory policies.
On Thursday, the military disclosed the number of transgender personnel currently serving, indicating a count that is considerably lower than previous estimates. Presently, according to the released statistics, there are 4,240 individuals in the military — approximately 0.2 percent of the total force of 2 million — who are diagnosed with gender dysphoria.
This diagnosis serves as the primary method for the military to monitor the number of transgender troops. Earlier estimates typically suggested a much larger population of around 15,000 trans troops.
The Trump administration enacted policies prohibiting transgender individuals from military service, citing concerns about disruptions within the ranks and the expenses associated with medical care as key factors. President Trump described the costs of providing this care as “tremendous.” An executive order issued last month by the administration claimed that being transgender “conflicts with a soldier’s commitment to an honorable, truthful and disciplined lifestyle.”
For the first time, the military also provided details on the expenses related to gender-affirming medical care for trans troops. Since 2015, when transgender individuals were first permitted to serve openly, the military has invested $52 million in their care, which includes psychotherapy, hormone treatment, and surgery—approximately $9,000 per transgender service member. This total represents only a small portion of the $17 billion annual budget for the Department of Defense’s health agency.
Data from the Defense Department indicates that nearly half of the troops diagnosed with gender dysphoria required no medical intervention at all, while about a quarter needed surgery.
Historically, the military claimed it could not access data related to transgender personnel. However, the Pentagon released the figures following a federal judge’s order on Thursday, which mandated the Defense Department to disclose data regarding trans service members in response to a lawsuit from a group of trans personnel challenging the Trump administration’s prohibition.