Cmdr. Janelle Marra, a Navy physician with more than two decades of service, lost her position this month as director of medical services at Expeditionary Medical Facility 150-Bravo in San Diego. The decision came hours after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reposted a screenshot from the conservative account Libs of TikTok that highlighted Marra’s LinkedIn profile, including her use of “she/her” pronouns and a title listed as “Navy Deputy Medical Director for Transgender Health Care.”
Hegseth reposted the screenshot with the caption: “Pronouns UPDATED: She/Her/Fired.” A U.S. defense official confirmed Marra’s removal, citing a loss of confidence in her leadership and possible misuse of social media.
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KPBS reports a Navy official says Hegseth ordered the firing; the Military Times does not say who ordered it.
Did the position cited on her profile exist?
Defense officials said the position referenced on Marra’s LinkedIn never formally existed. The Biden administration considered tying the role to a proposed Transgender Health Center within the Defense Health Agency but later abandoned the plan, according to The Military Times.
A Defense Health Agency spokesperson told Military Times, “The Department does not have a Transgender Health Center.”
The official said planners asked services to nominate personnel, and Marra was among those nominees. Why she listed the role on her profile remains unclear.
How have others responded?
Marra has not commented publicly since her removal. Col. Bree Fram, one of the highest-ranking openly transgender officers in the U.S. military and an advocate for transgender service members, called the decision “really disappointing” in remarks to Military Times.
Fram said Marra was targeted over a Navy-assigned role from the past. The Military Times reported the position was never filled.
In an interview with KPBS, Fram described Marra as “an exceptionally qualified doctor who was responsible for taking care of a huge number of sailors and Marines.” Fram also said she has faced threats after being targeted by Libs of TikTok.
What is the broader policy context?
The firing comes as the Trump administration enforces an executive order banning all transgender service members and ending gender-affirming care. A Pentagon memo in February stated that individuals with symptoms or a diagnosis of gender dysphoria have constraints “incompatible with the high mental and physical standards necessary for military service.”
Defense officials estimate that about 4,000 transgender individuals currently serve in the military.
