9th Circuit Court of Appeals Blocks Trump’s Military Transgender Ban
In a notable legal development, a panel of judges from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has rejected the Trump administration’s request to lift a lower court’s injunction against its ban on transgender individuals serving in the military. This ruling represents a significant setback for the Department of Justice (DOJ), which had aimed to reinstate the controversial policy.
Just last week, a second federal judge issued a temporary injunction to halt President Trump’s military ban on transgender troops. This action comes in the wake of the executive orders signed by Trump in January, notably titled “Restoring America’s Fighting Force” and “Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness.” These orders mandate that the military operate without preferences based on race or sex, while also seeking to eliminate what the administration describes as “gender insanity” and “made-up pronoun usage.”
U.S. District Judge Benjamin Hale Settle, a George W. Bush appointee, issued a nationwide preliminary injunction last week, stating that the arguments presented by the Trump DOJ lacked persuasive power.
Following this ruling, the DOJ filed an appeal on Friday, signaling its intent to challenge the decision further.
BREAKING: Trump Administration files appeal from lower court decision that enters an injunction prohibiting the military from excluding those with gender dysphoria. https://t.co/ixGvRgLuC9 pic.twitter.com/y1RJ4Z8L6O
— Margot Cleveland (@ProfMJCleveland) March 28, 2025
In a decisive move, a three-judge panel at the 9th Circuit denied the DOJ’s request for an administrative stay. The judges involved—Wallace Tashima (appointed by Clinton), John Owens (appointed by Obama), and Roopali Desai (appointed by Biden)—all sided against the administration, further complicating its legal strategy.
JUST IN: The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has *denied* the Trump administration’s request to allow immediate removal of transgender troops from the military. pic.twitter.com/28lKq9oPRK
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) March 31, 2025
Interestingly, this legal drama isn’t isolated. Just two weeks ago, Judge Ana Reyes, a Biden appointee originally from Uruguay, also issued a temporary nationwide injunction against the transgender military ban, suggesting a growing consensus among certain branches of the judiciary against the policy.
