A federal appeals court on Monday largely upheld a lower court ruling blocking the Trump administration from removing transgender service members from the military, while allowing the administration to continue enforcing its policy against new recruits.
The lawsuit was filed by a group of transgender active-duty service members and prospective recruits challenging an executive order signed by President Donald Trump and a subsequent Pentagon policy issued by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The court expressed skepticism about the policy's legality and allowed the injunction to remain in effect while the case proceeds.
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There are approximately 4,200 transgender service members in the U.S. military, according to the Department of Defense.
The ruling is not a final decision. Instead, it determines what parts of the policy can remain in effect while the lawsuit continues in the lower court.
"This is a huge relief for these service members and their families," said Shannon Minter, an attorney representing lead plaintiff Lt. Nicholas Talbott. "We expect the government to seek a stay of this ruling; however, we will do everything we can to explain to the Supreme Court why it should allow this decision to stand while the case proceeds."
The case could ultimately reach the Supreme Court.
