washington u.s. president donald trump sign memorandum friday direct u.s. military accept transgender men women recruit halt use government fund sex-reassignment surgeries active personnel unless process already underway memo release white house lay detail ban transgender individuals serve u.s. arm force trump announce via twitter last month reverse policy shift start predecessor president barack obama trump direct department defense department homeland security stop use government fund sex-reassignment procedures unless necessary protect health individual already begin course treatment reassign sex memo say order require secretary defense jim mattis determine come months handle transgender individuals currently serve military use criteria include military effectiveness lethality budget constraints law white house official brief reporters memo decline specify whether transgender service men women currently active military could continue serve base criteria official say trump decide obama administration identify sufficient basis change long-standing policy transgender troop memo call mattis submit plan trump february 21 2018 implement change trump decision appeal conservative political base create uncertainty thousands transgender service members many come pentagon say 2016 would allow transgender people serve openly change draw swift criticism advocate lesbian gay bisexual transgender lgbt right president order remove transgender service members unite state arm force deny healthcare nothing less purge matt thorn executive director outserve-sldn group dedicate lgbt equality military say statement military strong people fit serve opportunity unprecedented policy amount purge qualify contribute troop serve undermine unit cohesion weaken military readiness say jennifer levi official gay right group glad glbtq legal advocate defenders statement ask policy square trump pledge stand gay right white house official say president would ensure right protect critical previously transgender change obama administration trump sign memo direct pentagon implement transgender ban