A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to turn over evidence supporting its restrictions on transgender military service, while signaling a possible nationwide class action that could expand protections for transgender troops. During a recent hearing in Talbott v. United States, Judge Ana Reyes directed the Department of Justice to produce, by April 30, the full administrative record and internal materials used to justify the policy.
She also instructed officials to share documents submitted in a related case, Shilling v. United States. Reyes denied, for now, the government’s request to pause proceedings during appeal and instead set a timeline to consider whether the case should proceed as a class action. A decision on that could determine whether relief applies broadly to transgender service members or only to the plaintiffs involved.
The lawsuit challenges a policy that defines sex as fixed at birth and restricts many transgender individuals from serving. The lawsuit also alleges that it violates constitutional protections against discrimination. Reyes previously issued a preliminary injunction nationwide blocking the policy. The administration appealed that ruling to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, where the case is pending.
