Judge Issues Ruling On Trump Executive Order About Military Service

By
Gregory McMullen
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Alright, folks, let’s break this down. A federal judge in Washington, D.C., just blocked President Donald Trump’s executive order banning transgender individuals from enlisting or serving in the military. And let’s just say—this ruling is a doozy.

The judge in question, Ana Reyes, didn’t just rule against the ban—she went all in, calling it “soaked in animus” and claiming it was “unabashedly demeaning.” She also made sure to add a poetic flourish about the “cruel irony” of transgender service members risking their lives to defend rights they are now being denied.

Now, let’s pause for a second—because this is important. The executive order, signed in January, was based on military standards—not personal feelings. It argued that a “false gender identity” isn’t compatible with the discipline, truthfulness, and high physical and mental standards required to serve. The policy also stated that “gender dysphoria”—the medical condition tied to severe distress over gender identity—should be treated as a disqualifying condition.

But Reyes? She wasn’t having it. Not only did she block the order, but she also delayed her ruling until Friday to give the administration a chance to appeal, almost as if she’s daring the Trump White House to take this up the legal chain.

And boy, did the Department of Justice fire back. A DOJ spokesperson slammed the ruling as “the latest example of an activist judge attempting to seize power at the expense of the American people who overwhelmingly voted to elect President Trump.” They also vowed to continue defending the policy, which is part of the Defending Women Executive Order—a broader effort to protect women’s spaces and roles in the military.

Meanwhile, LGBTQ legal groups that filed the lawsuit against the ban are celebrating the ruling, claiming it’s a victory against “animosity” toward transgender individuals. Their attorneys argue that the policy unfairly targets trans service members, some of whom have served in combat and come from multi-generational military families.

Now, let’s talk about how this version of the policy differs from the first Trump-era ban. Back in 2017, Trump banned transgender recruitment but allowed those already serving to remain, so long as they didn’t seek transition-related medical care. This new policy, however, goes further—requiring the military to identify trans service members with a current or past diagnosis of gender dysphoria and discharge them.

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