Trans people serving in the U.S. military will be discharged unless they are granted an exemption, according to a Pentagon memo filed yesterday, Wednesday, in court, under which transgender people are effectively banned from serving in the U.S. military.

The administration’s move, which goes a step further than the restrictions adopted by Donald Trump during his first term in office, has been called “unprecedented” by advocates for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community.

Last month Trump signed an executive order banning trans from joining the US military, saying that a man who identifies as a woman “lacks the humility and selflessness required of members of the military.”

Earlier in February, the Pentagon announced that the US military would no longer allow transgender people to serve in its ranks and that it would stop providing support to members who wish to undergo transition.

Yesterday’s memo extends the ban to transgender people already serving in the military.

Under it, the Pentagon must within 30 days identify transgender servicemembers and then, over the next 30 days, begin discharging them from the military.

“It is the policy of the U.S. government to adopt high standards for the readiness, worthiness, cohesion, honesty, humility, uniformity, and integrity of members of the military,” the memo stresses.

“This policy is consistent with the medical, surgical, and mental health limitations of individuals with gender dysphoria” it adds.

Transgender people serving in the U.S. military are not required to declare their identity and the Pentagon does not know their exact number.

As the Pentagon has clarified, exceptions to the new policy will be made “on a case-by-case basis” and if there is a compelling government interest. In addition, in order to receive an exemption, a military member will have to meet a number of criteria, including “having demonstrated stability for 36 consecutive months” in the social and professional sphere.

During his first term, Trump announced that he would ban transgender people from serving in the military, though he did not fully carry out his promise, merely freezing transgender recruitment but allowing those already serving in the military to remain.

The US military has 1.3 million active duty personnel, according to Department of Defense figures. Although transgender rights advocates say as many as 15,000 transgender people serve in it, officials estimate the number to be a few thousand less than that.