President Donald Trump aims to ban trans people from serving in the military. (Photo by Michael Key)
On March 18, a federal judge in D.C. blocked President Donald Trump’s ban on transgender service members, which was scheduled to take effect March 21.
U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes issued the preliminary injunction, saying the policy violates the Constitution.
“Indeed, the cruel irony is that thousands of transgender service members 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 legal challenge to Trump’s trans military ban executive, Talbott v. Trump, was brought by LGBTQ+ groups GLAD Law and National Center for Lesbian Rights.
Reyes found that the ban violates equal protection because it discriminates based on trans status and sex and because “it is soaked in animus,” noting that its language is “unabashedly demeaning, its policy stigmatizes transgender persons as inherently unfit, and its conclusions bear no relation to fact.”
The lead attorneys in the case are GLAD Law Senior Director of Transgender and Queer Rights Jennifer Levi and NCLR Legal Director Shannon Minter.
“Today’s decisive ruling speaks volumes,” said Levi. “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. Given the court’s clear-eyed assessment, we are confident this ruling will stand strong on appeal.”
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