A federal judge in Washington, D.C., has issued a preliminary injunction against President Donald Trump's executive order that sought to ban transgender individuals from serving in the U.S. military. U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes ruled on Tuesday (March 18) that the order likely violates the constitutional rights of transgender service members. The injunction temporarily halts the Department of Defense from implementing the policy, which aimed to remove transgender troops from military service.

The executive order, signed on January 27, claimed that transgender identity conflicts with military readiness and discipline. However, Judge Reyes countered that the ban undermines the rights of transgender service members who have risked their lives for the country.

"The cruel irony is that thousands of transgender servicemembers have sacrificed — some risking their lives — to ensure for others the very equal protection rights the Military Ban seeks to deny them," Reyes wrote in her opinion.

The challenge was brought by six transgender service members and two prospective service members, who argued that the order violates their Fifth Amendment rights to equal protection. The plaintiffs' attorneys from GLAD Law and the National Center for Lesbian Rights emphasized that the ban targets and undermines dedicated service members.

The Department of Defense had begun implementing the order with a policy memo that disqualified individuals with gender dysphoria from military service. The policy described such individuals as "incompatible" with military standards. The Pentagon estimated that about 4,240 active duty service members have gender dysphoria, though other estimates suggest the number of transgender troops is higher.

The ruling is the latest in a series of legal challenges against President Trump's policies affecting transgender individuals. The administration has faced criticism for attempting to roll back protections across various domains, including healthcare and education. While the administration plans to appeal the decision, Judge Reyes' ruling provides a temporary reprieve for transgender service members.

Mike McConnell