A federal judge in Washington has issued a temporary block on the enforcement of former President Donald Trump’s executive order banning transgender individuals from serving in the U.S. military. The ruling comes as a lawsuit, filed by 20 current and aspiring service members, moves forward.
Judge Ana Reyes determined that the ban likely violates constitutional protections against sex discrimination. She sharply criticized the order, emphasizing the contradiction of barring individuals who have already served honorably. “The cruel irony is that thousands of transgender service members have risked their lives to protect the very rights this ban seeks to deny them,” Reyes stated.
Trump’s order, issued in January, halted the recruitment of transgender individuals and prohibited medical transition services for service members. The military had planned to begin expelling transgender troops by the end of February.
The administration argued that transgender identity is incompatible with military discipline and readiness, likening it to medical conditions that disqualify individuals from service. The judge was unconvinced. Reyes noted that the government acknowledged the plaintiffs were exemplary soldiers, yet sought to discharge them without justification. “So why discharge them and other decorated soldiers? Crickets from defendants on this key question,” she remarked.
The lawsuit points to a 2020 Supreme Court ruling that found employment discrimination against transgender people to be illegal sex discrimination. Attorneys representing the plaintiffs praised the decision, calling it a clear rejection of policies that undermine the dignity of those serving in uniform.
The ruling places Trump’s policy on hold as the case continues, signaling a major legal challenge to efforts restricting transgender rights in the military.
