Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth agreed that the accomplishments of three female service members whose service records were read into the hearing by Air Force veteran and California Democratic lawmaker Chrissy Houlahan were to be celebrated – until he learned they were transgender.
The three service members included a pilot with 50 combat missions, an Army major whose evaluation put her in the top 5% of their officer class and another highly ranked ROTC instructor.
“I would commend the major, the aviator and the instructor for their service,” Hegseth said.
“And yet you are actually kicking out these three highly qualified service members solely because of their identity,” Houlahan said. “These are trans women.”
“You are using the very same arguments that have been used against desegregating the military or allowing women to serve or allowing gay people to serve. And in all those cases, those arguments were wrong,” Houlahan said.
Hegseth then doubled down on arguments that the administration is using to separate the transgender service members, that gender dysphoria is a disqualifying medical condition. The issue is still being challenged in the courts.