Appeals Court Blocks Trump Policy Banning Transgender Troops

A Trump administration policy barring transgender troops from military service has been ruled unlawful by a divided federal appeals court panel, Bridget Brown, Bernard McGhee and Nell Clark reported for The Associated Press (AP).

A federal appeals court reviews transgender military service policies.

The ruling by a three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld a March 2025 decision by US District Judge Ana Reyes in Washington.

Reyes had concluded that President Donald Trump’s executive order excluding transgender individuals from military service likely violated constitutional protections.

In January 2025, Trump signed an executive order asserting that transgender service members’ gender identity conflicted with military standards and harmed military readiness.

The appeals court majority found legal grounds to maintain the lower court ruling while litigation continues.