Court Halts Pentagon's Transgender Troop Ban

U.S. Appeals Court Partially Halts Transgender Military Ban

A U.S. appeals court on Monday partially blocked the Pentagon from removing current transgender service members, while allowing the administration to continue barring new transgender recruits. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, in a 2-1 ruling, stated that the 2025 policy was unlawfully motivated by a "bare desire to harm a politically unpopular group."

The court's decision permits the Pentagon to maintain its ban on transgender individuals from enlisting, citing the military's broad powers in setting enlistment standards. This aspect of the ruling will remain in effect pending the outcome of a lawsuit filed by transgender service members and prospective recruits. Circuit Judge Robert Wilkins, an appointee of Democratic President Barack Obama, emphasized that ending a military career presents a greater hardship than delaying its start.

This ruling partially upholds a 2025 decision by a Washington, D.C.-based federal judge who had initially blocked the entire policy. The Trump administration's policy, implemented in February 2025, followed an executive order from January 2025, which stated that adopting a transgender identity "conflicts with a soldier's commitment to an honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle." Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth indicated the government plans to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court.