A federal appeals court ruled June 1 that transgender service members can remain in the US military, though the military may still block new enlistments by transgender people. The ruling rejects Trump’s January 2025 order requiring transgender troops to be removed from service. Circuit Judge Robert Wilkins said the ban was illegal and both arbitrary, and based on animus. This decision protects an estimated 1,000 transgender troops currently serving but does not apply to new recruits. The split decision is expected to be challenged by Donald Trump’s administration and could reach the Supreme Court.
