{"id":2468445,"date":"2025-07-29T20:43:01","date_gmt":"2025-07-30T00:43:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/further-data-shows-media-wildly-overestimated-number-of-trans-troops\/"},"modified":"2025-07-29T20:46:53","modified_gmt":"2025-07-30T00:46:53","slug":"further-data-shows-media-wildly-overestimated-number-of-trans-troops","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/further-data-shows-media-wildly-overestimated-number-of-trans-troops\/","title":{"rendered":"Further Data Shows Media Wildly Overestimated Number Of Trans Troops"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ffurther-data-shows-media-wildly-overestimated-number-of-trans-troops%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2468445&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >article discusses recent data revealing<\/a> that media outlets greatly exaggerated the number of transgender troops in the U.S. military who would be affected by policies implemented during the Trump governance. While some reports claimed up to 15,<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/lgbt-groups-sue-trump-and-hegseth-over-transgender-troops-order\/\" title=\"LGBT groups sue ... and Hegseth over ... ...\">000 transgender service members<\/a> would be discharged following TrumpS executive order prioritizing military readiness, official Department of Defense figures show that only four have been removed so far, out of about 1,400 who self-identified with gender dysphoria as of May 2025. The article notes that the 15,000 figure originated from a questionable study by the now-defunct Palm Center and contrasts it with DoD estimates of around 4,200 active service members diagnosed with gender dysphoria. Despite media fearmongering about the impact of the policy, the military branches have met or exceeded their recruitment goals ahead of schedule. The article also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/meter-is-running-for-lawyers-in-15-9b-election-cycle-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Meter is running for lawyers in .9B election cycle - Washington Examiner\">highlights ongoing legal challenges<\/a> to the policy and anticipates continued media criticism of the Trump administration&#8217;s efforts to &#8220;prioritize military excellence.&#8221;  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"article-body body-md bdr-top-black pt-30\">\n<div class=\"row justify-content-center\">\n<div class=\"col-12\">\n<figure class=\"article-thumbnail mb-30 mb-sm-60\">\n<div class=\"article-thumbnail-caption d-flex align-items-center justify-content-md-end label-xs mt-15\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-camera me-10\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Image Credit<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:2017.07.29_Stop_Transgender_Military_Ban,_Washington,_DC_USA_7734_%2836262659735%29.jpg\">Ted Eytan \/ Wikimedia Commons<\/a>\/<a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/2.0\/\">CC BY-SA 2.0<\/a>       <\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-share text-center article-share-simple\">\n<h5 class=\"label-sm mb-10\">Share<\/h5>\n<ul class=\"article-share-list list-unstyled m-0 p-0\">\n<li class=\"article-share-facebook m-0\">       <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/07\/29\/further-data-shows-media-wildly-overestimated-number-of-trans-troops\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-facebook\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article on Facebook<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-twitter m-0\">       <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=Further%20Data%20Shows%20Media%20Wildly%20Overestimated%20Number%20Of%20Trans%20Troops&amp;url=https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/07\/29\/further-data-shows-media-wildly-overestimated-number-of-trans-troops\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-twitter\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article on Twitter<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-truth-social m-0\">       <a href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/share?title=Further%20Data%20Shows%20Media%20Wildly%20Overestimated%20Number%20Of%20Trans%20Troops&amp;url=https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/07\/29\/further-data-shows-media-wildly-overestimated-number-of-trans-troops\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" fill=\"currentColor\" style=\"width:36px;height:auto;\" viewbox=\"0 0 92 93\"><path d=\"M69.444 55.716H56.772v10.37h12.672zM64.487 37.795V27.32H38.666v38.664h13.18v-28.19zM21.05 27.321h12.653v10.471H21.051z\" https:><\/path><\/svg>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article on Truth Social<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-link m-0\">       <button data-clipboard-text=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/07\/29\/further-data-shows-media-wildly-overestimated-number-of-trans-troops\/\" data-tooltip-content=\"Copied!\" class=\"clip tooltip\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-link-variant\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Copy Article Link<\/span>       <\/button>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-email m-0\">       <a href=\"mailto:?subject=Further%20Data%20Shows%20Media%20Wildly%20Overestimated%20Number%20Of%20Trans%20Troops&amp;body=%20https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/07\/29\/further-data-shows-media-wildly-overestimated-number-of-trans-troops\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-email\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article via Email<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-email m-0\"><span class=\"printfriendly pf-button  pf-alignleft\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/thefederalist.com\/#\" rel=\"nofollow\" onclick=\"window.print(); return false;\" title=\"Printer Friendly, PDF &amp; Email\"><span id=\"printfriendly-text2\" class=\"pf-button-text\"><i class=\"mdi mdi-printer\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<p>In the weeks surrounding Trump&rsquo;s inauguration, the left-wing media insisted the administration&rsquo;s effort to remove trans troops from the military would weaken the force &mdash; some outlets&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/donald-trump-reported-transgender-military-plan-called-out-charity-1991052\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">fearmongered<\/a> that up to 15,000 service members would be booted. But&nbsp;numbers recently&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/chrisbray.substack.com\/p\/trans-servicemembers-finally-a-number\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">obtained<\/a>&nbsp;by journalist Chris Bray from the Department of Defense indicate that only four &ldquo;transgender servicemembers&rdquo; have been &ldquo;removed from the military so far under the new Trump administration policy.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>In May, the Department of Defense released a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/media.defense.gov\/2025\/May\/08\/2003706668\/-1\/-1\/1\/IMPLEMENTING-POLICY-ON-PRIORITIZING-MILITARY-EXCELLENCE-AND-READINESS.PDF\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">memo<\/a>&nbsp;laying out how &ldquo;Service members who have a current diagnosis or history of, or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pentagon-memo-all-trans-troops-to-be-identified-within-30-days-and-separated-from-the-military\/\" title=\"Pentagon Memo: All Trans Troops to Be Identified Within 30 Days and Separated from the ...\">exhibit symptoms consistent<\/a> with, gender dysphoria may elect to separate voluntarily.&rdquo; At the time, the agency&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.defense.gov\/News\/Releases\/Release\/Article\/4179340\/statement-by-chief-pentagon-spokesman-and-senior-advisor-sean-parnell-on-implem\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">estimated<\/a>&nbsp;1,000 troops who self-identified as having gender dysphoria would &ldquo;begin the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pentagon-resumes-removal-of-trans-troops-from-the-military\/\" title=\"Pentagon Resumes Removal Of &#039;Trans&#039; Troops From The ...\">voluntary separation process<\/a>.&rdquo; According to Bray&rsquo;s reporting, citing a DoD official, of 1,404 troops who self-identified as of May, only four have completed the process of separation. The rest are &ldquo;pending.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-2 d-flex justify-content-center\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; \" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-1927553093\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-1463670073398-0\" class=\"mb-30\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Nonetheless, as Bray also notes, the media will surely continue pushing the claim that Trump&rsquo;s efforts to &ldquo;prioritize military excellence&rdquo; will boot &ldquo;thousands&rdquo; from the force.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Abruptly discharging 15,000-plus service members, especially given that the military&rsquo;s recruiting targets fell short by 41,000 recruits last year, adds administrative burdens to war fighting units, harms unit cohesion, and aggravates critical skill gaps,&rdquo; Rachel Branaman, executive director of LGBT activist group Modern Military Association of America, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thetimes.com\/world\/us-world\/article\/donald-trump-transgender-troops-us-military-52xf5cdlc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">told<\/a> The Times after Trump was elected. &ldquo;There would be a significant financial cost, as well as a loss of experience and leadership that will take possibly 20 years and billions of dollars to replace.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Bray has pointed out that the 15,000 estimate is from a <a href=\"https:\/\/palmcenterlegacy.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/14700-Transgender-Troops-.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">study<\/a> by the &ldquo;now-defunct&rdquo; Palm Center, which used a <a href=\"https:\/\/chrisbray.substack.com\/p\/about-the-supposedly-devastating\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">questionable<\/a> process to find their final number. As a Defense Department official recently <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/05\/13\/surprise-media-claims-of-15000-trans-troops-in-the-military-are-total-bunk\/\">told<\/a> The Federalist&rsquo;s Shawn Fleetwood, about 4,200 &ldquo;active-duty, Guard and Reserve service members [were] serving diagnosed with gender dysphoria&rdquo; as of February. Even if more&nbsp;trans troops leave or are removed from the military over the next few years, both the 4,200 and 1,400 numbers are still a far cry from 15,000.<\/p>\n<p>Multiple outlets, including Newsweek, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/news\/world\/americas\/us-politics\/trump-transgender-military-policy-b2652956.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Independent<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2025\/01\/28\/us\/politics\/trump-transgender-troops.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The New York Times<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/baltimore\/news\/transgender-military-officer-uphold-ban-bree-fram-trump-air-force\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CBS News<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/shots-health-news\/2025\/01\/28\/nx-s1-5277106\/trump-executive-order-transgender-military\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">NPR<\/a>, regurgitated the 15,000 number in recent months. Although <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/nbc-out\/out-news\/transgender-military-troops-forced-out-trump-ban-rcna212685\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">some<\/a> outlets <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2025\/02\/27\/us\/politics\/trans-troops-pentagon-figures.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">acknowledged<\/a> the 4,000 estimate from the DoD earlier this year, they still clearly chided the Trump administration&rsquo;s efforts.<\/p>\n<p>Trump&rsquo;s January executive order essentially <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/presidential-actions\/2025\/01\/prioritizing-military-excellence-and-readiness\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">disqualified<\/a> transgender troops as &ldquo;mentally and physically&rdquo; unfit for duty. A district court judge <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/trump-transgender-troops-military-7e1a52f94ee60dcd58d4c2086e14acc3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">attempted<\/a> to block the enforcement of the order for violating constitutional rights. After an emergency appeal from the Trump administration, the Supreme Court <a href=\"https:\/\/www.supremecourt.gov\/orders\/courtorders\/050625zr_6j37.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">stayed<\/a> the injunction, allowing the policy to be enforced while litigation continues.<\/p>\n<p>Despite media fearmongering about the Trump administration&rsquo;s efforts, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.army.mil\/article\/286027\/army_meets_fiscal_year_2025_recruiting_goals_four_months_early\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Army<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.navy.mil\/Press-Office\/Press-Releases\/display-pressreleases\/Article\/4221132\/us-navy-achieves-fy25-recruiting-goal-3-months-early\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Navy<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.af.mil\/News\/Article-Display\/Article\/4230414\/air-force-and-space-force-exceed-annual-recruiting-goals-demonstrating-american\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Air Force<\/a>, and Space Force all met their recruitment goals months early this year.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\">\n<div class=\"article-author-description fst-italic\">      Jacqueline Annis-Levings is a correspondent for the Federalist. She is a rising junior at Patrick Henry College, where she is majoring in English.<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-author mt-30 mt-sm-60 pt-30 bdr-top-bold-black\">\n<div class=\"row g-0 align-items-center\">\n<div class=\"col-12 col-md-6\">\n<div class=\"article-author-profile d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-md-start\">\n<div class=\"article-author-details\">\n<div class=\"label-md\">Jacqueline Annis-Levings<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-author-twitter label-sm d-flex align-items-center mt-10\">             <i class=\"mdi mdi-twitter me-5\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>             <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Visit on Twitter<\/span>            <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JacqLevings\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"text-decoration-none\">@JacqLevings<\/a>           <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"col-12 col-md-6 d-flex justify-content-center justify-content-md-end mt-15 mt-md-0\">        <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/author\/jacquelineannislevings\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">More Articles<\/a>     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-tags bdr-top-black mt-30 mt-sm-60 pt-15 pt-md-45\">\n<ul class=\"list-unstyled d-flex flex-wrap align-items-center mb-0 mx-n10 p-0\">\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/department-of-defense\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Department of Defense<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/executive-order\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Executive Order<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/media-lies\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Media lies<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/military-recruitment\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">military recruitment<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/pentagon\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Pentagon<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/president-trump\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">President Trump<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/transgender-activism\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">transgender activism<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/transgender-troop-ban\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">transgender troop ban<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/transgender-troops\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">transgender troops<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/us-military\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">US Military<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Image Credit Ted Eytan \/ Wikimedia Commons\/CC BY-SA 2.0 Share Article on Facebook, Twitter, Truth Social; Left media claimed removing trans troops weakens military-<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3848,"featured_media":2468446,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2017.07.29_Stop_Transgender_Military_Ban_Washington_DC_USA_7734_36262659735-scaled.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[32490,60223,50738,51220,42544],"class_list":["post-2468445","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-media-bias","tag-military-data","tag-misinformation-2","tag-trans-troops","tag-transgender-issues"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2017.07.29_Stop_Transgender_Military_Ban_Washington_DC_USA_7734_36262659735-scaled.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2468445","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3848"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2468445"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2468445\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2468449,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2468445\/revisions\/2468449"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2468446"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2468445"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2468445"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2468445"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}