Supreme Court to Decide on Transgender Military Ban

The Trump administration requested the U.S. Supreme Court to lift a nationwide block on its ban preventing transgender individuals from serving in the military. The policy, viewed as a curb on transgender rights, has faced legal challenges, citing violations of the Fifth Amendment's equal protection clause.

The Trump administration has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to permit the implementation of its executive order banning transgender individuals from serving in the military. This request is part of a broader series of actions by the administration to restrict transgender rights.

The Justice Department is appealing a nationwide order by Seattle-based U.S. District Judge Benjamin Settle, who blocked the military from enforcing Trump's transgender ban, citing it as a potential violation of the U.S. Constitution's Fifth Amendment. The case involves seven active-duty transgender troops who sued over the directive.

The Supreme Court had previously allowed the Defense Department to enforce limited restrictions on transgender service. However, the current ban faces criticism for being an unfair and exclusionary policy. The San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and Washington, D.C.-based U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes have both issued orders blocking Trump's ban as litigation continues.

(With inputs from agencies.)