Federal judge denies Trump's attempt to ban transgender people from military

A federal court is blocking the Trump administration from implementing its policy of banning transgender people from joining the military, ruling to uphold an injunction blocking the rule before it goes into effect.

Judge rejects government request

Federal Judge Ana Reyes, an appointee of President Joe Biden, rejected a government request Wednesday to lift the injunction preventing the Defense Department from enforcing the measure, arguing that the ban violates the equal protection clause by discriminating on the basis of transgender identity and sex.

The policy was to take effect Friday, but the ruling extends the possibility of enlistment for transgender individuals until the morning of that day, giving the Administration time to appeal.

Trump Administration Arguments.

President Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth filed a motion to vacate the existing court order. In its argument, the Government argued that the policy is not a blanket ban, but a regulation based on gender dysphoria, a medical condition.

The Government also asked that, if the judge did not lift the order, she at least suspend its implementation while the case moved forward in appeals. To bolster its position, the Pentagon issued guidance on March 21 clarifying that the policy would only affect individuals with diagnosable symptoms of gender dysphoria, a medical condition that affects military readiness and deployability.

However, Reyes dismissed these arguments, noting that the government has maintained the same position since the start of the litigation and that the policy continues to exclusively affect transgender individuals. "Gender dysphoria is not like other medical conditions, something Defendants well know," she wrote in his ruling." All persons with gender dysphoria are transgender and only transgender persons experience gender dysphoria."