Federal Judge Reinstates Injunction Blocking Trump’s Transgender Military Ban

Judge Ana Reyes ruled the policy remains discriminatory, halting its enforcement as the administration prepares to appeal.

U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes reinstated a nationwide preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration’s transgender military ban, citing its discriminatory intent and impact.
The Department of Defense issued revised guidance on March 21, narrowing the policy to target individuals with gender dysphoria, but the court found this insufficient to justify the ban.
The judge criticized the administration’s justification for the policy as pretextual and driven by anti-transgender bias, rejecting claims it was a neutral medical regulation.
The injunction protects active-duty and prospective transgender service members from discharge while the Trump administration prepares to appeal the decision.
The Supreme Court is expected to rule on a related transgender rights case by mid-2025, which could influence the broader legal context for this policy.