The Donald Trump administration’s attempt to exclude transgender people from serving in the U.S. military has resulted in a preliminary injunction against it from a federal judge in Washington, D.C.
U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes’ ruling on Tuesday prevents the Department of Defence from implementing a policy directive intended to exclude transgender service members from the military for the time being.
Reyes resisted the administration’s initiative in a broad and occasionally harshly worded judgement, claiming that the restriction infringed upon the constitutional rights of transgender personnel.
Judge Reyes (D.D.C.) just blocked Trump’s transgender ban—based on a devastating line from Gorsuch’s Bostock opinion
Gonna make for quite the interesting appeal… pic.twitter.com/0KztGqsIlW
— John Hasson (@SonofHas) March 19, 2025
“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.
The preliminary injunction is the most recent instance of a federal judge taking action to stop or halt President Trump’s attempts to utilise executive action to carry out his objectives. Trump detractors are concerned that the administration would eventually decide to disregard a ruling from a federal court and cause a constitutional crisis as a result of the president’s constant stream of orders.
Trump has vowed to follow the law, stating that he will challenge instances in which judges have ruled against the government. He has, however, publicly criticised federal judges who have made decisions that have disagreed with him.
The number of military service members is approximately 1.3 million. An estimated 4,240 active duty service members, or fewer than 1% of forces, suffer with gender dysphoria, according to the Defence Department, which spoke to NPR. Others, however, have raised the figure. According to a 2018 estimate by the Palm Centre, a research organisation that promotes LGBTQ+ inclusion in the U.S. military, there were roughly 14,700 transgender soldiers.
Six transgender service members and two potential service members filed the challenge in response to an executive order issued on January 27 that aimed to prohibit transgender people from serving in the military and instructed the Pentagon to publish a strategy for implementing the order within 30 days.
This is literally big news, cause Trump back then he was able to ban the trans from the military with a tweet. Now he was able to pass and sign an order, props to the Judge to block his BS order! Trans rights are human rights! https://t.co/4rq9rOdZQc
— da foxxo (@MarshyDaFox) March 19, 2025
According to the executive order, transgender identity jeopardises military readiness because “the Armed Forces have been afflicted with radical gender ideology to appease activists unconcerned with the requirements of military service like physical and mental health, selflessness, and unit cohesion.”
It’s language that Reyes took issue with in her decision.
“The President has the power—indeed the obligation—to ensure military readiness,” she wrote. “At times, however, leaders have used concern for military readiness to deny marginalized persons the privilege of serving.”
This is far from over, but I’m gonna take some time tonight to enjoy the good news.
“U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes in Washington, D.C., ruled that Trump’s order to exclude transgender troops from military service likely violates their constitutional rights.”…
— Charlotte Clymer 🇺🇦 (@cmclymer) March 19, 2025
Service members or prospective military recruits who have “a current diagnosis or history of, or exhibit symptoms consistent with, gender dysphoria” are “incompatible” with U.S. military service, according to a policy document issued by the Pentagon in February, marking the start of the order’s implementation.
Glad Law, one of two LGBTQ+ legal groups defending the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, applauded Tuesday’s ruling.
“Today’s decisive ruling speaks volumes,” said Jennifer Levi, GLAD Law Senior Director of Transgender and Queer Rights. “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.”
