A federal judge has indefinitely blocked the implementation of President Donald Trump’s executive order that effectively banned transgender individuals from openly serving in the military, a significant setback for the administration’s efforts to curb transgender rights.
The big picture: U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes, an appointee of former President Joe Biden, prohibited Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other military officials from putting Trump’s order into effect.
- Additionally, the judge mandated that the military statuses of the plaintiffs must remain unchanged until further court orders.
- The judge’s ruling aims to preserve the status quo of military policies regarding transgender military service that existed before Trump signed the order titled “Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness.” The order was stayed until Friday to allow the administration time to appeal.
Driving the news: The executive order signed by Trump suggests that transgender individuals are not capable of meeting the rigorous standards necessary for military service, citing concerns about affecting military lethality and unit cohesion. .
- The order further states that a transgender person’s self-identification is inconsistent with the humility and selflessness expected of service members.
