Focus on the BIG picture.
Friday, May 09, 2025

US Supreme Court Allows Enforcement of Trump's Transgender Military Ban

US Supreme Court Allows Enforcement of Trump's Transgender Military Ban

The Supreme Court's decision permits the Trump administration to implement a controversial ban on transgender individuals serving in the military while legal challenges continue.
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the Trump administration can enforce a ban on transgender individuals serving in the military while a legal challenge to the policy unfolds.

The court issued this decision on Tuesday through an unsigned order without providing an explanation, which is customary for emergency rulings.

The ruling has the potential to result in the discharge of thousands of service members.

The three liberal justices on the court—Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson—expressed their dissent.

Organizations such as Lambda Legal and the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, which represent the challengers in the case, characterized the decision as a significant setback for transgender servicemembers.

The groups stated that the ban represents prejudice rather than military readiness.

Upon taking office, President Trump rolled back an executive order from the Biden administration that permitted transgender individuals to serve openly in the military.

In a subsequent executive order issued on January 27, 2021, Trump declared that individuals diagnosed with gender dysphoria could not serve in the armed forces, citing issues of standards for troop readiness and health constraints.

The Department of Defense commenced implementation of the ban in late February, after estimating that approximately 4,240 service members, or about 0.2% of active duty personnel, were diagnosed with gender dysphoria.

The legal challenge to this policy included seven transgender servicemembers and one aspiring recruit.

The primary plaintiff, Navy pilot Emily Shilling, drew attention to the significant training investments made by the military in her case, estimated at $20 million.

Prior to the Supreme Court's ruling, several lower courts had blocked the enforcement of the ban.

U.S. District Judge Benjamin Settle described the government’s justifications for the ban as unpersuasive.

Another judge, Ana Reyes, found the ban to exhibit “animus and pretext.”

The Trump administration petitioned the Supreme Court for intervention, arguing that the lower courts had overstepped their authority in blocking the ban.

The current ban is more comprehensive than a policy enacted during Trump's first term, which allowed those who had come out prior to the ban to continue their service.

The new restrictions affect nearly all active transgender members of the military.

Plaintiff attorneys argued that allowing the ban to take effect would lead to significant disruption within military units and harm the careers of many skilled service members.

Public opinion appears divided on the issue, with a majority of Americans supporting the inclusion of transgender individuals in military service, according to a recent Gallup poll.

Support is notably higher among Democrats compared to Republicans, with 84% of Democrats favoring such a policy, while only 23% of Republicans do.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Historic Papal Conclave Set to Commence in Rome
Huge Copper, Gold, and Silver Discovery in Argentina and Chile — But the Profits Go Abroad
The Road to Freedom: She Protested Putin, Escaped House Arrest, and Survived a 2,800-Kilometer Journey
Prince Harry is pleading for reconciliation — but the royals are just as sick of his victimhood as everyone else
OpenAI's Flip-Flop: No Longer Going Commercial, Back to Nonprofit, After Musk Lawsuit and Backlash
First From China: Zhao Xintong Wins the Snooker World Championship
Nvidia Faces Billion-Dollar Losses – Warns: China Is on Its Way to Becoming an AI Superpower
Trump Rules Out Third Term, Names JD Vance and Marco Rubio as Potential Successors
Mexico Says ‘No’ to U.S. Troops: President Sheinbaum Rejects Trump’s Offer to Fight Cartels
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK Storms the Map, Wrecking the Two-Party Monopoly
DOGE: Reimagining Government Operations with AI
EU Hits TikTok with €530 Million Fine Over China Data Transfers
Beijing Says U.S. Is ‘Reaching Out’ for Tariff Talks Amid Soaring Trade Tensions
U.K. Court Rejects Prince Harry’s Final Appeal Over Police Security
Warren Buffett to Step Down as Berkshire CEO After Nearly 60 Years
Prince Harry’s Heartfelt Outburst Rocks the Royal Family
Trump Shares AI-Generated Image of Himself as… Pope, Prompting Outrage Reaction
Transgender Swimmer Secures Five Gold Medals at U.S. Masters Championship
Prince Harry: “I Want Reconciliation with My Family”
Germany's Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party has now been officially labeled “right-wing extremist” by the federal office for the so-called “protection of the constitution.”
Amazon Launches Satellite Internet Service Amidst Competition with SpaceX
Transformative Changes in Women's Wrestling: The Rise of WWE Superstars
The Rush to the White Gold: Global Investment Surge in Natural Hydrogen Exploration
This is a day in Spain without electricity and internet
180-Year-Old Christian University in South Carolina Announces Closure Due to Unmet $6 Million Fundraising Goal
Brazilian Woman Jailed for Fourteen Years for Writing “You Lost, Idiot” on Statue During Protest
Trump Administration Removes National Security Adviser Mike Waltz Amid Signal Chat Controversy
Huawei Ramps Up Testing of Powerful New AI Chip in Challenge to Nvidia Amid U.S. Sanctions
Dutch Politician Eva Vlaardingerbroek Receives Spyware Threat Alert from Apple
Paramount Board Considers Settlement in Trump’s $20 Billion Lawsuit Over "60 Minutes" Interview
U.S. Economy Shrink in Trump’s First Quarter as Tariff Policy Raises Questions
U.S. and Ukraine Poised to Sign Strategic Critical Minerals Deal Amid Geopolitical Shifts
Sweden Grapples with Deadly Gun Violence: Suspect Arrested After Three Young Men Killed in Uppsala Hair Salon
Walz Reveals Why Harris Chose Him as Her Running Mate and Reflects on Democratic Losses
Spain Restores Power After Unprecedented Nationwide Blackout
Carney Secures Liberal Mandate in Canada’s Federal Election
Death Penalty Sought as Luigi Manion Pleads Not Guilty in CEO Murder Case
President Trump contacts Jeff Bezos after reports of Amazon considering listing tariff surcharges; company clarifies no such plan for main platform
Spain and Portugal Recover from Massive Blackout
Liverpool Clinches Record-Equalling 20th English League Title Under Arne Slot
Massive Raid on Underground Nightclub in Colorado Springs Yields Over 100 Arrests
Singapore Politicians Warn Against Foreign Interference in Election
Driver Ploughs into Vancouver Festival Crowd, Killing Nine
Depression, Fear of Defamation, and a Tragic End: New Details on Virginia Giuffre’s Suicide
“Sharia for UK, Allah Akbar!”
China Warns Nations Against Trade Deals Harmful to Its Interests
Malaysia Revises Growth Outlook Amid US Trade Talks
Massive Explosion at Iran's Bandar Abbas Port Linked to Suspicious Chemical Shipments
Wild Courtroom Chaos: FBI Arrests Milwaukee Judge for Helping Illegal Immigrant Flee from ICE Agents!
Pakistani migrants to Danish man: “ “We have 5 children while you have 1 or 2. In 10 years, there will be more Pakistanis than Danes here.“
×