Judge Orders Hegseth Retract Transgender Troops Post Amid Legal Battle

In a contentious hearing, Judge Ana Reyes, appointed by President Biden and the first LGBTQ+ federal judge in D.C., ordered Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to retract a social media post regarding the Pentagon's policy on transgender troops. The case stems from a lawsuit by transgender activists challenging the legality of a ban implemented under a Trump-era executive order, which they argue violates the Fifth Amendment's equal protection clause. During the hearing, Reyes questioned the validity of the government's rationale for the ban, asserting that it misrepresents scientific studies and unfairly targets transgender individuals. The judge's inquiry focused on whether the military could lawfully exclude a group based on a medical condition, as she emphasized the lack of similar historical exclusions. Reyes has indicated that she is leaning toward siding with the plaintiffs, suggesting that the underlying premise of the ban—that there are only two biological sexes—is flawed. The Pentagon has not publicly commented on the ongoing litigation, leaving the future of the policy uncertain.