A federal judge in Washington D.C. has granted a preliminary injunction against the Trump administration’s initiative to prohibit transgender individuals from serving in the U.S. military. This temporary order from U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes, given on Tuesday, stops the Department of Defense from implementing a policy aimed at removing transgender service members from the armed forces.
Judge Reyes’ opinion, which was both comprehensive and forceful, challenged the administration’s actions, stating that the ban infringed on the constitutional rights of transgender troops. In her decision, Reyes pointed out the harsh reality that numerous transgender service members have risked their lives to protect the very equal protection rights that the proposed military ban seeks to deny them.
The preliminary injunction is a recent instance of a federal court halting or delaying President Trump’s attempts to advance his policy agenda through executive actions. Legal challenges against the president have raised concerns among critics that the administration might eventually refuse to comply with a federal court ruling, potentially leading to a constitutional crisis.
President Trump has vowed to comply with court decisions, expressing intentions to appeal judgments that are unfavorable to his administration. Despite this, he has openly criticized federal judges who have ruled against his directives.
The U.S. military, which consists of about 1.3 million personnel, has been reported by the Defense Department to include an estimated 4,240 active-duty service members with gender dysphoria, representing less than 1% of the total forces. However, the Palm Center, which supports LGBTQ+ inclusion in the military, estimated in 2018 that there are approximately 14,700 transgender service members.
The legal challenge was initiated by six transgender service members and two prospective members in response to an executive order issued on January 27, which aimed to exclude transgender individuals from military service and instructed the Pentagon to devise a plan for its implementation within 30 days.
The executive order described transgender identity as detrimental to military readiness, claiming that the military has been influenced by radical gender ideologies to satisfy activists unconcerned with the needs of military service, such as physical and mental health, selflessness, and unit cohesion. Judge Reyes addressed this language in her ruling.
Reyes emphasized that while the President has the authority and responsibility to ensure military readiness, there are instances where leaders have previously used this concern as a basis to exclude marginalized groups from serving.
In February, the Pentagon began to implement the order with a policy memo that categorized individuals with a current diagnosis, history, or symptoms of gender dysphoria as “incompatible” with military service. The directive called for new procedures to identify and initiate separation actions for service members with gender dysphoria or its history.
During the 2024 campaign, Trump took firm stances on various issues affecting transgender Americans. Beyond military service restrictions, he has signed several executive orders aimed at preventing transgender individuals from participating in women’s sports, halting gender-affirming medical care for minors, and mandating governmental recognition of only two sexes.
Some actions have impacted veterans. Recently, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced a reduction in access to medical treatment for veterans with gender dysphoria.
The judge’s decision on Tuesday was welcomed by GLAD Law, an LGBTQ+ legal group supporting the plaintiffs. Jennifer Levi, Senior Director of Transgender and Queer Rights at GLAD Law, commented that the ruling was highly significant, stating that the court’s findings exposed how the ban specifically discriminates against and weakens service members dedicated to defending the nation.
