Some Trans Military Members Banned by Trump Allowed to Continue Service Under Ruling
The panel said the ban was driven by unconstitutional animus and kept protections for the 28 named plaintiffs while narrowing the injunction.
- On Monday, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals blocked the Trump administration from removing more than two dozen transgender service members from the military while their lawsuit challenging the policy continues.
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued the policy declaring transgender identity incompatible "with a soldier's commitment to an honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle," citing administration concerns over "radical gender ideology."
- Judge Robert Wilkins' majority opinion found the policy violated equal protection, labeling it an "unadulterated expression of animus," while noting the government provided no factual basis showing transgender troops pose national security risks.
- The ruling applies only to the Plaintiff-Appellees who sued last year, allowing current service members to continue serving while the military retains authority to prohibit new transgender recruits from enlisting.
- Rachel VanLandingham, a retired Air Force JAG officer, expressed doubt the Supreme Court will uphold the ruling, noting many transgender service members have already opted for "voluntary" separation rather than face discharge boards.
11 Articles
11 Articles
Some trans military members banned by Trump allowed to continue service under ruling
WASHINGTON — Transgender military members won a temporary victory against the Trump administration in federal appeals court Monday when two judges ruled a policy banning them from service violated their constitutional right to equal protection under the law.
Transgender US troops can continue serving for now, in a major reversal for Trump
Transgender troops who sued to block their separation from the US military won a legal victory at a federal appeals court that allows them to continue serving.Bill Clark/CQ Roll CallA majority of a three-judge panel found the Trump administration's trans ban was "arbitrary."The federal appeals court's decision allows 28 transgender troops to continue serving.Many of the 4,200 transgender troops have quit after the new policies and heated rhetori…
Hegseth teases Supreme Court battle after Trump policy is deemed unlawful
President Donald Trump suffered another embarrassing defeat when a federal appeals court ruled that his administration likely violated the constitutional rights of transgender troops by attempting to ban them from military service. The ruling dealt a significant blow not only to Trump’s January 2025 executive order targeting transgender servicemembers but also to Defense Secretary Pete...
Trump and Hegseth's anti-trans military policy is based on unconstitutional animus, D.C. Circuit rules
On Monday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit held on a 2-1 vote that unconstitutional “animus-filled reasons” motivated the Trump administration’s policy barring transgender people from the military.“Unless we are going to fall for the old Groucho Marx line—’who are you going to believe, me or your lying eyes?’—we have direct evidence in this case that animus motivated the classifications in the [Defense Secretary Pete] Hegseth Poli…
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