D.C. Circuit reinstates Pentagon transgender ban
A divided U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit on Tuesday stayed a district court’s preliminary injunction, allowing the Pentagon to enforce its 2025 policy generally barring individuals with gender dysphoria from serving while the case is appealed. Judges Gregory Katsas and Neomi Rao said the district court failed to defer to military judgment on readiness, cohesion and costs, while Judge Pillard dissented, questioning the administration’s justification; the White House called the ruling a win for military readiness.
📌 Key Facts
- Court: U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit issued a 2–1 stay
- Majority: Judges Gregory Katsas and Neomi Rao; Dissent: Judge Pillard
- Effect: Allows enforcement of the 2025 Pentagon policy pending appeal
- Rationale cited: Combat readiness, unit cohesion, and cost control
- White House reaction: Spokeswoman Anna Kelly praised the ruling as a readiness win
📊 Relevant Data
As of December 2024, there were 4,240 troops diagnosed with gender dysphoria in the active duty, National Guard, and Reserves, representing approximately 0.2 percent of the 2 million service members.
Up to 1,000 transgender troops are being separated from the military in new Pentagon order — PBS
The US military spent approximately $52 million on treatments for gender dysphoria for active-duty service members over a recent period, which is significantly less than expenditures on other medical treatments like erectile dysfunction medications.
3 Out of 525600 Minutes: U.S. Military Budget for Gender Transition — Medium
Transgender service members report higher rates of anxiety, depression, suicidality, overall mental health problems, and PTSD compared to cisgender heterosexual and cisgender sexual minority service members.
A 2018 RAND study found no significant effect of openly serving transgender service members on cohesion, operational effectiveness, or readiness in the US military.
On RAND's Research Findings Regarding Transgender Military Personnel Policy — RAND Corporation