A US federal judge on Tuesday temporarily blocked the Trump administration's ban on transgender people serving in the military, citing the principle of equality and delivering a setback—albeit brief—to the president's agenda.
In her ruling, Judge Ana C. Reyes referenced the US Declaration of Independence, which asserts that all people are "created equal." She suspended President Donald Trump's January executive order that barred transgender individuals from joining the armed forces.
However, the suspension will not take effect until March 21, giving the government time to request an emergency stay from a higher court, according to the judge's decision.
This ruling marks a significant blow to the Trump administration, which has prioritized rolling back protections for minority groups since taking office.
Trump's January 27 executive order argued that "expressing a false ‘gender identity’ divergent from an individual’s sex cannot satisfy the rigorous standards necessary for military service." Furthermore, the administration has maintained that the US government recognizes only two unchangeable sexes: male and female.
An estimated 15,000 transgender individuals are serving in the US military, out of approximately two million total personnel.
Judge Reyes' decision sharply criticized the military ban, using strong language to condemn it. "The Military Ban is soaked in animus and dripping with pretext," the judge wrote. "Its language is unabashedly demeaning, its policy stigmatizes transgender persons as inherently unfit, and its conclusions bear no relation to fact."
She further noted that Trump "could have crafted a policy that balances the nation’s need for a prepared military and Americans’ right to equal protection. They still can. The Military Ban, however, is not that policy."
In February, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a memo preventing transgender individuals from enlisting in the military and halting gender transition treatments for those already serving. The Pentagon also announced it would begin discharging transgender troops unless they received a waiver on a case-by-case basis.
The US military lifted its ban on transgender service members in 2016, during President Barack Obama's second term. However, policies have shifted dramatically under subsequent presidents, with both Trump and Joe Biden altering or attempting to alter the rules.
Transgender issues have become a contentious subject in US politics, with states controlled by Democrats and Republicans taking opposing stances on policies ranging from medical treatment to the availability of related books in public and school libraries.
Tuesday's ruling was part of a lawsuit filed by a group of transgender individuals—either currently serving in the military or wishing to enlist—challenging Trump's most recent executive order.
