A federal judge has stopped President Donald Trump’s executive order, which tried to ban transgender people from serving in the US military. The verdict, issued on Tuesday, states that the ban likely violates the constitutional rights of transgender military personnel.

U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes, based in Washington, D.C., ruled against the controversial order, which aimed to exclude transgender troops from military service. She granted a preliminary injunction requested by attorneys representing six active-duty transgender service members and two individuals seeking to enlist.

The judge, however, postponed the implementation of her decision by three days, giving the administration time to file an appeal.

Trump had signed the executive order on January 27, claiming that transgender service members’ sexual identity conflicted with military values, discipline, and overall readiness. Following this directive, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth implemented a policy barring individuals diagnosed with gender dysphoria from military service.

Gender dysphoria is the suffering experienced by people whose gender identity does not match their assigned sex at birth. Medical experts have connected the disease to an increased risk of depression and suicide ideation.

Plaintiffs’ attorneys argue that the ban discriminates against transgender individuals and violates their right to equal protection under the Fifth Amendment. They contend that service members should not be disqualified based on gender identity, especially when thousands of transgender personnel have served honorably.

Government lawyers, on the other hand, argue that military officials must be given the authority to make personnel decisions without interference from the courts. They claim that military leadership should make decisions about service qualifications, postings, and deployments.

Transgender people now comprise a relatively small portion of the U.S. military, with estimates indicating that they make fewer than 1% of active-duty members. Even though they are few in number, the controversy surrounding their service continues to influence national conversations about military readiness and diversity.

The legal battle over transgender military service is expected to continue as the administration considers its next steps following the judge’s ruling.

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