US Supreme Court Allows Trump Administration To Enforce Transgender Military Ban

 

The US Supreme Court has allowed the Trump administration to enforce a ban on transgender individuals serving in the military while legal challenges continue. The court's 5-4 ruling lifts a lower court's injunction, permitting the administration to implement its policy despite ongoing litigation.

The ban, which was initially introduced through an executive order signed by President Trump in January, reverses a policy implemented under President Joe Biden that allowed transgender troops to serve openly in the military. According to the policy, individuals with a history or diagnosis of gender dysphoria will be disqualified from military service.

The decision has sparked reactions from various groups. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth celebrated the ruling, tweeting "No more dudes in dresses." In contrast, Lambda Legal and the Human Rights Campaign Foundation condemned the ban, arguing it is discriminatory and undermines national security. They vowed to continue fighting, believing the ban violates constitutional guarantees of equal protection and will ultimately be struck down.

The court's liberal justices, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson, dissented from the decision. The ruling allows the ban to take effect while the appeals court considers the administration's request to nullify the injunction, with the potential to impact thousands of transgender service members