A Nation at a Crossroads

The recent Supreme Court decision upholding President Trump’s Executive Order 14183 has reignited a polarizing debate about the role of transgender individuals in the U.S. military. The order, now law of the land, bars individuals with gender dysphoria from serving unless they do so according to their biological sex. As the Pentagon prepares to implement this directive, removing those who do not comply, Americans are once again being asked to consider what the armed forces are truly for: national defense or social experimentation?

This is not a matter of hatred or discrimination—it’s a question of truth, order, and military readiness. It’s about whether we still believe in objective reality, or whether we’re going to let ideological winds dictate the standards of the most powerful military force on earth.

The Medical Reality: Gender Dysphoria is a Mental Illness

Let’s begin with the basic, unvarnished truth: gender dysphoria is a diagnosable mental health condition. According to the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), it involves significant distress and impairment resulting from a mismatch between one’s biological sex and perceived gender identity. This is not simply a “lifestyle choice” or “identity expression”—it is a documented psychological struggle.

In any other context, a mental health condition that impairs judgment, stability, or self-perception would be grounds for disqualification from high-stress professions like law enforcement or aviation. Why should the military—where life-and-death decisions are made under fire—be any different? The military routinely excludes those with severe depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and other psychological diagnoses. Applying the same standard to gender dysphoria is not only logical, it’s consistent.

Military Readiness Comes First

The military is not a social club. It’s not a place to “find yourself” or assert your identity. It is, quite literally, a fighting force charged with defending this nation against threats foreign and domestic. Every policy, every standard, every decision made within the military must serve that mission—and only that mission.

Transgender ideology introduces complications that directly affect unit cohesion, morale, and battlefield effectiveness. Shared living quarters, field conditions, deployment readiness, and medical logistics all become infinitely more complicated when ideology takes priority over biology. A soldier who is undergoing hormone treatments or preparing for gender reassignment surgery is simply not in peak condition to deploy at a moment’s notice.

That is not cruelty—it’s common sense.

Financial Costs: Prioritizing the Mission, Not Elective Surgeries

Between 2015 and 2024, the Pentagon spent over $50 million on gender-transition-related medical care. That includes surgeries, hormone therapy, and ongoing psychological care. Meanwhile, our troops in some areas still deal with outdated equipment, housing shortages, and recruitment shortfalls.

Every dollar spent on elective treatments for a non-mission-critical issue is a dollar not spent on night-vision goggles, armored vehicles, or training exercises. Our adversaries—China, Russia, Iran—are not spending billions on ideological initiatives. They are building missiles, training soldiers, and strengthening their position. We need to do the same.

Compassion Without Compromise

Now let’s be clear: Christianity is not about hate. The Bible commands us, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Mark 12:31). We are to show compassion to all people, including those who struggle with identity and mental illness. But compassion does not mean affirmation of falsehood. It certainly does not mean rewriting biology to suit subjective feelings.

The Bible clearly states, “Male and female created he them” (Genesis 1:27). That foundational truth is echoed in the natural law and observable reality. Pretending otherwise doesn’t help the person struggling with dysphoria—it only reinforces confusion.

As believers, we should offer support, counsel, and prayer to those grappling with these issues. But allowing individuals with unresolved gender identity issues to serve in the military does them no favors—and does a disservice to the nation.

What Critics Are Missing

Opponents of the ban argue that it’s discriminatory and unconstitutional. They say that many transgender individuals have served honorably and should not be excluded based on identity alone. They raise concerns about morale, recruitment, and civil rights.

But these arguments, while emotionally compelling, ignore the cold hard facts of military life. The military discriminates all the time—for valid reasons. You can’t serve if you’re too old. You can’t serve if you’re too short, too weak, colorblind, asthmatic, diabetic, or have a felony record. You can’t serve if you take anti-psychotic medication, or if you’re too overweight. And no one cries foul about those standards.

The military isn’t a jobs program. It’s not an equal opportunity employer. It is an elite force where only the fit, able, and mission-ready are allowed to wear the uniform.

Supporting the Ban Is the Right Move

Supporting President Trump’s transgender military ban is not only reasonable—it’s righteous. It aligns with biblical truth, medical reality, military logic, and national interest.

We should never mock or marginalize those who struggle with identity. But neither should we rewrite the rules of the military—or reality itself—to accommodate them. That’s not compassion; it’s capitulation. And when national defense is at stake, capitulation is not an option.

President Trump’s executive order, and the Supreme Court’s upholding of it, is a necessary correction in an age of confusion. The military is finally being reminded that its mission is not to reflect society’s latest moral experiment, but to stand ready, trained, and equipped to defeat any enemy.

Let the military be the military—grounded in truth, forged by discipline, and focused on victory. That’s the kind of force that keeps America safe.

And that’s the kind of force we, as Christians and conservatives, should unapologetically support.