A federal appeals court has blocked the Trump administration from enforcing a policy that would prevent nearly 30 transgender-identifying individuals from continuing to serve in the U.S. military while an ongoing legal challenge moves forward.
In a 2-1 decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that 28 transgender plaintiffs who challenged the administration’s policy may remain in military service during the course of the litigation. The ruling does not automatically apply to all transgender service members, but attorneys representing the plaintiffs have asked the court to broaden the protection beyond the current group involved in the lawsuit.
The case stems from an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in January 2025. The order stated that individuals “expressing a false ‘gender identity’ divergent from an individual’s sex” could not meet the standards required for military service. It further argued that adopting a gender identity inconsistent with one’s biological sex conflicted with the values expected of service members, including honesty, humility, and discipline.
See you at SCOTUS. https://t.co/BhLprXz5Im
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) June 1, 2026
Writing for the majority, Judge Robert L. Wilkins focused on the government’s defense of the policy. In his opinion, he noted that the administration had not presented factual support for its characterizations of transgender individuals. Wilkins also pointed out that the government did not dispute the military records of the plaintiffs currently serving, many of whom have accumulated strong evaluations and recommendations throughout their careers.
According to the opinion, the plaintiffs have served honorably and were not identified by the government as posing any threat to national security. That observation became a significant part of the court’s reasoning as it considered whether the policy should be allowed to take effect against the plaintiffs while the broader legal questions remain unresolved.
The ruling marks another chapter in a long-running debate over transgender military service, an issue that has shifted repeatedly across different presidential administrations. Policies regarding eligibility, medical treatment, and service requirements have changed several times over the past decade, often leading to legal challenges in federal courts.
The appeals court’s decision arrives months after additional actions by the Department of Defense and the U.S. Army. In February 2025, the Army announced it would no longer permit transgender-identifying individuals to serve and would discontinue medical procedures associated with gender transition.
For now, the immediate effect of the court’s ruling is limited. The 28 plaintiffs at the center of the lawsuit may continue serving while the case proceeds, but the larger legal battle over the administration’s policy remains far from settled. Further court proceedings are expected as both sides continue to argue over the legality and constitutionality of the restrictions.