Supreme Court's Decision Looms Over Transgender Military Ban

The Trump administration has requested the Supreme Court to enforce a ban on transgender individuals serving in the military. Despite legal challenges and previous policies permitting open service, a new directive aims to disqualify transgender people completely. The decision awaits further legal proceedings and a Supreme Court review.

In a controversial legal maneuver, the Trump administration on Thursday sought the Supreme Court's approval to implement a ban on transgender individuals serving in the military, a move that reignites debates about military inclusivity.

The request follows a federal appeals court's decision to maintain an injunction that blocks nationwide enforcement of the ban. President Trump's executive order, signed early in his term, argued that transgender identity conflicts with military values and affects readiness. These claims are contested by a federal judge and various individuals, who label the policy discriminatory.

The policy, first enacted during Obama's administration, allowed transgender people to serve openly. Under Trump's directives, this has reversed, although exceptions were made for those who began transitioning earlier. The Biden administration later reversed the ban, but the current Defense Department's rules, which have faced several legal roadblocks, would eliminate exceptions entirely.

(With inputs from agencies.)