A federal judge in Washington D.C. has blocked enforcement of the Trump White House’s attempt to ban transgender troops from serving in the U.S. military, the Associated Press reports.
Tuesday’s decision by U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes is the latest setback for the administration, which has been marked by a flurry of executive orders aimed at reshaping the government and expanding presidential power and pushing aside marginalized groups.
In a strongly worded opinion, Reyes wrote that the ban violates the constitutional rights of transgender troops, according to the AP. She also pushed back at the Trump administration’s claim that is sought to bolster “military readiness” by banning transgender people.
“Indeed, the cruel irony is that thousands of transgender servicemembers have sacrificed — some risking their lives – to ensure for others the very equal protection rights the Military Ban seeks to deny them,” Reyes wrote.
Roughly 8,000 transgender people serve in the military, or fewer than 1% of total active-duty service members, according to federal estimates. Even so, they’re in all branches of the service and have largely been accepted in their roles, according to transgender personnel stationed in San Antonio.
“It’s been a non-issue for me. All the military cares about is performance,” transgender service member Jamie Hash, then-an Air Force tech sergeant, told the Current in 2019. “I briefed a two-star general at the Pentagon, and not one word was mentioned [about my gender].”
A total of 14 transgender active-duty service were named as plaintiffs in the lawsuit, according to the AP. They were represented by LGBTQ+ legal groups GLAD Law and NCLR Legal.
“Today’s decisive ruling speaks volumes,” Jennifer Levi, GLAD Law’s lead attorney on the case, said in a statement. “The Court’s unambiguous factual findings lay bare how this ban specifically targets and undermines our courageous service members who have committed themselves to defending our nation. Given the Court’s clear-eyed assessment, we are confident this ruling will stand strong on appeal.”
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This article appears in Mar 5-18, 2025.