Appeals Court Restores Trans Military Ban

A federal appeals court has delivered a major victory to President Trump, reinstating the Pentagon’s ban on transgender military service. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled 2-1 on December 9, 2025, that the Department of Defense can enforce the policy, rejecting a lower court judge’s attempt to override military leadership’s authority on medical and readiness standards. The decision affirms the core principle that courts must defer to the expertise of military leaders regarding personnel and medical criteria. The reinstated ban, based on President Trump’s Executive Order 14183, is focused on prioritizing military readiness and establishes clear, stable medical standards for service eligibility.

Story Snapshot

The appeals court ruled 2-1 on December 9, 2025, that the Pentagon can enforce its transgender service ban while litigation continues
The majority determined that the district court judge improperly substituted his judgment for military leadership’s expertise on medical and readiness standards
President Trump’s Executive Order 14183 and the Pentagon’s policy prioritize military readiness and medical fitness standards
Approximately 1,000 transgender service members face separation under the reinstated ban
The case will likely reach the Supreme Court as litigation continues

Military Leadership Authority Prevails Over Judicial Second-Guessing

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit delivered a decisive ruling that restores proper deference to military expertise. Judges Katsas and Rao held that the district court judge overstepped his authority by substituting his own judgment for that of Pentagon leadership regarding medical standards and military readiness.

Federal appeals court lets Pentagon reinstate transgender service ban, says judge overstepped military leaders

With @davidspunt for @FoxNews https://t.co/pKJ24N5gRR

— Jasmine Baehr (@JasmineSBaehr) December 10, 2025

Trump’s Executive Order Refocuses Military on Readiness, Not Ideology

In January 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 14183, directing the Pentagon to prioritize military readiness and establish new policies regarding service eligibility. The order asserts that individuals with gender dysphoria present medical and readiness concerns inconsistent with military discipline. The Pentagon responded in February 2025 by enacting a policy that bars individuals with gender dysphoria from service, citing medical standards, unit cohesion, and cost control. This represents a return to evidence-based military personnel standards rather than ideologically-driven policies.

Restoring Standards in an Era of Woke Overreach

For years, the military has been subjected to competing directives that prioritized progressive social agendas over core military functions. The Obama administration lifted restrictions in 2016, the Trump administration reinstated them in 2018, and the Biden administration reversed course again in 2021. This constant flip-flopping created chaos and confusion. President Trump’s 2025 policy establishes clear, stable medical standards that military leadership can implement without judicial interference based on ideology rather than military necessity.

🚨 BREAKING – TRANS MILITARY BAN UPHELD: Federal court sides with SecWar Pete Hegseth in UPHOLDING his ban on transgenders in the U.S. military, STRIKING DOWN an activist judge

LET'S GO!

Woke BS is being purged from the Armed Forces, and it's never coming back. 🔥🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/CUu6v7jJK6

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) December 9, 2025

District Court Judge’s Overreach Gets Reversed

The district court judge who initially blocked the ban claimed insufficient evidence and improper justification. However, the appeals court majority recognized that judges lack the expertise to second-guess Pentagon medical determinations. Judge Patricia Millett’s dissent argued the ban lacked evidence and represented animus, but the majority correctly prioritized deference to military expertise. This is a critical check against judicial activism that substitutes political preferences for military judgment on personnel standards.

Immediate Implementation Protects Military Cohesion

The Pentagon is now processing separations of approximately 1,000 transgender service members, with voluntary separation options including enhanced pay. The reinstatement of the ban immediately removes the legal uncertainty that had paralyzed military leadership. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reaffirmed the policy’s foundation in military standards and readiness, signaling that the Pentagon will implement the ban consistently and professionally while litigation continues in lower courts and potentially reaches the Supreme Court.

Watch the report: ‘TRANS is out at the DOD’: Hegseth initiates ban on transgender troops after Supreme Court ruling