US President Donald Trump on Friday signed a memo that effectively bans transgender individuals from joining the military.
The memo bars transgender people from joining military service, but instructs Secretary of Defence James Mattis to explore ways to handle transgender service member already serving up to the Pentagon, Xinhua reported.
It also orders a stop for payment on gender reassignment surgeries.
The move came a month after Trump tweeted that he would not allow transgender individuals to serve in the U.S. military in any capacity.