The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit paused a lower court’s ruling preventing the Trump administration’s ban on transgender-identifying troops.
“The United States military enforces strict medical standards to ensure that only physically and mentally fit individuals join its ranks,” U.S. Circuit Judge Gregory Katsas wrote in an opinion, joined by Circuit Judge Neomi Rao. “For decades, these requirements barred service by individuals with gender dysphoria, a medical condition associated with clinically significant distress. This bar was partially relaxed in 2016, revived in 2018, partially relaxed again in 2021, and revived again in 2025.”
“Again, the military is entitled to substantial deference in setting risk tolerances and evaluating conflicting evidence bearing on matters like force composition,” the judges added. “Here, the evidence supporting the Hegseth Policy was more than sufficient to support the choices made.”
Circuit Judge Cornelia Pillard dissented, arguing that the “decision makes it all but inevitable that thousands of qualified servicemembers will lose careers they have built over decades, drawn up short by a policy that would repay their commitment and service to our nation with detriment and derision.”
The Supreme Court permitted War Secretary Pete Hegseth’s policy in May, staying a lower court’s injunction. “Approximately 1,000 Service members who have self-identified as being diagnosed with gender dysphoria will begin the voluntary separation process,” Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell said following the decision.
According to a memo issued by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, service members who have a “current diagnosis or history of, or exhibit symptoms consistent with, gender dysphoria may elect to separate voluntarily” and “may also be eligible for voluntary separation pay.”
