A federal judge has certified a class of transgender service members and prospective recruits challenging the Trump administration’s military ban. This marks a major procedural step in the case, allowing it to move beyond the individual plaintiffs. U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes issued the ruling Tuesday in Talbott v. Trump during a hearing in Washington, D.C. The decision allows the lawsuit to proceed on behalf of a broader group of transgender people affected by the policy.
Reyes also scheduled a trial for January 4. Shannon Minter, legal director of the National Center for LGBTQ+ Rights, said, “This is an incredibly significant case for our country, for the military, and for the thousands of transgender individuals who have dedicated their lives to military service…The Court’s decision to certify a class is an important step and will help to ensure that any positive decision will benefit all transgender troops, not just the individual plaintiffs in this case. We look forward to an opportunity to prove our case.”
During the hearing, Reyes suggested the class would likely be narrower than initially proposed. Reyes also criticized delays in the litigation, telling plaintiffs’ attorneys, “We should be well into a permanent injunction…You have wasted on behalf of your clients about a year of litigation time.” The Trump administration continues to defend the military policy in court.
