President Donald Trump’s administration’s ban on transgender individuals serving in the U.S. military was upheld on Tuesday by a federal appeals court in Washington, D.C.
According to Fox News, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled 2-1 on Tuesday to pause an administrative stay that was issued earlier this year. Tuesday’s ruling will allow the administration to enforce the transgender troop ban while litigation continues in the courts.
In a majority opinion for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, Judge Gregory Katsas and Judge Neomi Rao determined that the district court failed to allow Pentagon leaders, including Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, to use their judgment in determining the “strict medical standards” used by the U.S. military.
“The United States military enforces strict medical standards to ensure that only physically and mentally fit individuals join its ranks,” Katsas and Rao wrote. “For decades, these requirements barred service by individuals with gender dysphoria, a medical condition associated with clinically significant distress.”
“The district court nonetheless preliminarily enjoined the 2025 policy based on its own contrary assessment of the evidence. In our view, the court afforded insufficient deference to the Secretary’s considered judgment,” the judges added. “Accordingly, we stay the preliminary injunction pending the government’s appeal.”
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The two judges explained that Pentagon officials determined that the implementation of the president’s transgender troop ban, which was established as part of an executive order in January, would advance “important military interests of combat readiness, unit cohesion, and cost control.”
Following Tuesday’s ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, the case against Trump’s transgender military ban will be sent back to the district court for full consideration, according to Fox News. The outlet noted that the case could potentially move towards a review by the Supreme Court.
Addressing Tuesday’s ruling, Anna Kelly, a White House spokeswoman, told Fox News, “Today’s victory is a great win for the security of the American people.” Kelly added, “As commander in chief, President Trump has the executive authority to ensure that our Department of War prioritizes military readiness over woke gender ideology.”
The Post Millennial reported that transgender individuals were authorized to serve in the U.S. military in 2016 if the individuals did not suffer from gender dysphoria. In 2018, the Trump administration ordered a ban on transgender troops who had previously had a sex change or required a sex change and on transgender troops who suffered from gender dysphoria. While former President Joe Biden’s administration allowed transgender individuals to serve in the military, Trump’s executive order in January once again implemented a ban on transgender individuals serving in the military.
