US Court Limits Trump Transgender Military Ban

A US appeals court has ruled that President Donald Trump’s administration may continue to block transgender people from joining the armed forces for now, but barred the discharge of some transgender troops already serving while the lawsuit continues.

A majority of the judges concluded that the 2025 policy may have been motivated by a desire to harm a politically unpopular group. However, the court said the Pentagon has broad authority to determine the terms of new enlistments.

Judge Robert Wilkins said ending a military career was a far more serious step than delaying its start. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has indicated that the government will appeal to the Supreme Court.

The Trump administration imposed the ban after an executive order in January declared that adopting a transgender identity was incompatible with the requirements of military service.

The US military has about 1.3 million active-duty service members, according to Defense Department data. Transgender rights advocates estimate that as many as 15,000 transgender troops serve in the armed forces, while officials put the number at only a few thousand.

(reuters, max)