“Court Rejects Trump Administration’s Request to Pause Transgender Troop Ban”
A U.S. appeals court has denied a request from the Trump administration to halt a lower court’s decision blocking President Donald Trump’s ban on transgender individuals serving in the military. U.S. District Judge Benjamin Settle in Tacoma, Washington, recently issued a preliminary injunction to pause the military’s new policy of identifying and discharging transgender service members. The Trump administration appealed this ruling and asked the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to temporarily put the decision on hold, allowing the ban to be enforced while the appeal process unfolds. However, a three-judge panel at the 9th Circuit rejected the administration’s request for an administrative stay of Settle’s ruling. The Defense Department chose not to comment, and the Justice Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Civil rights groups Lambda Legal and the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, representing seven active-duty transgender service members, expressed satisfaction that the current situation will be maintained while they continue to advocate for the rights of transgender individuals serving in the military. Judge Settle’s ruling emphasized the smooth operation of the military under the previous policy of allowing transgender individuals to serve openly. The Trump administration’s lawyers argued that Settle overstepped his authority by substituting his judgment for that of the military, stating that the military would face challenges in maintaining readiness and effectiveness without the ban. Perkins Coie, a law firm representing the plaintiffs in the case before Settle, has been at the forefront of challenging the transgender ban. Overall, the legal battle over the transgender troop ban continues as different courts weigh in on the matter.
