The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 to uphold the Trump administration’s transgender military service ban, allowing the policy to take immediate effect despite ongoing legal challenges, according to reports by AP and CNN on February 6.
This decision permits the administration to enforce a policy that effectively bars transgender individuals from serving in the military. Out of the nine justices, six supported the ruling, while three dissented. CNN described the ruling as “a major victory for President Trump in the Supreme Court.”
Background of the Ban
The transgender military service ban traces back to Trump’s first term, when he signed a similar executive order. That policy, met with widespread opposition, was implemented only after a prior Supreme Court decision cleared the way.
Although the policy was later rescinded under the Biden administration, Trump reinstated it with an executive order on January 27 following his return to office for a second term.
Implementation and Legal Pushback
Following the executive order, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a directive in February halting the recruitment of transgender individuals and suspending all medical procedures related to gender transition within the military. Unlike the first-term policy, the updated version also barred currently serving transgender soldiers from continuing their service.
In response, 20 active-duty transgender service members filed lawsuits seeking to halt the enforcement of Trump’s order. While three federal judges initially blocked the executive order’s implementation, the new Supreme Court ruling overrides those decisions, fully reinstating the ban.
Financial Impact
A Congressional Research Service (CRS) report earlier this year revealed that the Department of Defense spent approximately $15 million between 2016 and 2021 on medical care—both surgical and non-surgical—for 1,892 transgender service members.
The ruling finalizes the current legal status of transgender military service following years of litigation.
