The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed the Trump administration’s ban on transgender individuals serving in the military to take effect, a decision that could lead to the discharge of thousands of servicemembers and marks a significant rollback of transgender rights under federal policy.
In a brief, unsigned order typical for emergency applications, the court granted the Justice Department’s request to lift a nationwide injunction issued by a federal judge that had blocked the ban from being enforced while litigation continues. The decision came with the court's 6-3 conservative majority voting in favor. Liberal Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented.
The ruling reverses a lower court order by U.S. District Judge Benjamin Settle in Seattle, who had previously found that the ban likely violated the Fifth Amendment’s guarantee of equal protection and called it “unsupported, dramatic and facially unfair.” Settle concluded that the government had provided no evidence of harm resulting from allowing transgender people to serve openly.
The policy stems from an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in January, shortly after returning to office, which reversed the Obama-era policy reinstated by President Joe Biden allowing transgender individuals to serve openly in the armed forces.
Trump’s directive argued that transgender identity is incompatible with the requirements of military service, claiming that it reflects a “falsehood” and that individuals with gender dysphoria lack the qualities of “humility and selflessness” needed in the military.
Following the executive order, the Pentagon issued guidance disqualifying current servicemembers and applicants diagnosed with gender dysphoria or who have undergone gender transition procedures. While waivers are allowed in limited cases deemed essential to “warfighting capabilities,” the policy imposes sweeping restrictions.
The lawsuit challenging the ban was filed by seven active-duty transgender troops, a transgender man seeking to enlist, and a civil rights organization. The San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had earlier declined to pause Judge Settle’s injunction, prompting the administration’s appeal to the Supreme Court.
The Justice Department argued that the injunction unlawfully restricted the executive branch’s authority over military policy and ignored the “substantial deference” typically afforded to the Pentagon’s judgments on personnel matters.
The decision adds to a growing list of measures under Trump aimed at curtailing transgender rights. These include orders to recognize only two legal sexes, eliminate federal funding for gender-affirming care, and ban transgender girls and women from competing in female sports.
The Supreme Court is also expected to rule by June in a separate high-profile case involving the legality of Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors, which could further shape the national legal landscape for transgender rights.
President Donald Trump announced that he will increase steel tariffs from 25% to 50%, a move that could push up costs for industries relying on steel, including housing and auto manufacturing.
U.S. stocks wrapped up the week with a mixed finish after President Donald Trump accused China of breaking a recent trade agreement, reigniting global market jitters just weeks after a deal was struck in Geneva.
Donald Trump and Elon Musk held a final press conference in the Oval Office to mark the official end of Musk’s role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
U.S. President Donald Trump accused China of violating a key trade agreement on tariffs and minerals, warning of potential new actions amid rising tensions.
Saudi Arabia has privately urged Iran to swiftly accept a nuclear agreement proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, warning that delays could trigger an Israeli military strike and plunge the region into deeper conflict, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
As peace talks progress, voices from Yerevan, Tbilisi, and Baku reveal hopes, concerns, and expectations for a future shaped by trade, trust, and generational change in the South Caucasus.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry has rejected an Austrian intelligence report accusing Tehran of pursuing a military nuclear program, calling it “false and baseless,” and demanded an official explanation from Vienna, reaffirming Iran’s commitment to a peaceful nuclear program and criticizing Europe’s silence
Kurdish commander Mazloum Abdi says his forces are in direct contact with Türkiye and open to improving relations, including a potential meeting with President Erdoğan.
The U.S. FDA has approved Moderna’s next-generation COVID-19 vaccine, mNEXSPIKE, for adults aged 65 and older and those aged 12–64 with risk factors, marking a major step under tighter regulations.
Leaders of Central Asian countries and Italy convened in Astana for the first Central Asia–Italy summit, culminating in the adoption of a Joint Declaration aimed at deepening political, economic, and cultural cooperation.
AnewZ takes to the streets of Yerevan and Baku to ask a simple yet deeply complex question: How do you see peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan? In the first part of our special report, we hear the hopes, doubts, and scars still shaping people’s perspectives on both sides.
On May 28, the inauguration ceremony of Lachin International Airport was held.
A car drove into crowds of Liverpool fans celebrating the club’s Premier League title in the city centre on Monday evening, injuring dozens including 4 children. A 53-year-old man believed to be the driver was arrested at the scene.
EU ministers have greenlit a massive €150 billion defense investment fund—dubbed the Security Action for Europe (SAFE)—as the bloc ramps up its military readiness in response to Russia’s aggression and growing uncertainty over U.S. security guarantees.
Brazil’s economy is expected to have regained momentum in the first quarter of 2025, driven by a surge in household spending and private investment, according to a Reuters poll of economists conducted from May 21–26.
Kurdish commander Mazloum Abdi says his forces are in direct contact with Türkiye and open to improving relations, including a potential meeting with President Erdoğan.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for May 31st, covering the latest developments you need to know.
In a landmark moment for artists’ rights, Taylor Swift has officially bought back the master recordings of her first six albums, ending a long-running dispute over who controls her music.
A 61-year-old man in Alaska rescued after being trapped facedown under a massive 700-pound boulder in a freezing glacier-fed creek for three hours.
Two foreign nationals were indicted Friday in California and Wisconsin for allegedly trying to smuggle sensitive U.S. military technology to China and target an American dissident critical of Beijing.
As peace talks progress, voices from Yerevan, Tbilisi, and Baku reveal hopes, concerns, and expectations for a future shaped by trade, trust, and generational change in the South Caucasus.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry has rejected an Austrian intelligence report accusing Tehran of pursuing a military nuclear program, calling it “false and baseless,” and demanded an official explanation from Vienna, reaffirming Iran’s commitment to a peaceful nuclear program and criticizing Europe’s silence
Kurdish commander Mazloum Abdi says his forces are in direct contact with Türkiye and open to improving relations, including a potential meeting with President Erdoğan.
The U.S. FDA has approved Moderna’s next-generation COVID-19 vaccine, mNEXSPIKE, for adults aged 65 and older and those aged 12–64 with risk factors, marking a major step under tighter regulations.
Leaders of Central Asian countries and Italy convened in Astana for the first Central Asia–Italy summit, culminating in the adoption of a Joint Declaration aimed at deepening political, economic, and cultural cooperation.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment