Newest military trans ban on hold until 4 earlier cases are heard

After a court overturned President Donald Trump’s original transgender military ban, Trump issued new orders on Friday, March 23, that would disqualify most transgender troops from serving.
Trump first called for a ban last August in a series of tweets.
The current order says “persons with a history or diagnosis of gender dysphoria — including individuals who the policies state may require substantial medical treatment, including medications and surgery — are disqualified from military service except under limited circumstances.”
The Williams Institute estimates 15,000 transgender troops are currently serving in the U.S. military, National Guard or Reserves.
According to Lauren Gray, spokesperson for the National Center for Lesbian Rights, the plan has no immediate effect while courts review four earlier cases. She called the newest ban, “thinly-veiled discrimination dressed up as policy.”
“The Trump-Pence administration’s continued insistence on targeting our military families for discrimination is appalling, reckless, and unpatriotic,” said Ashley Broadway-Mack, President of the American Military Partner Association.
“This policy change indicates a confounding disconnect — by allowing for the continued open service of current transgender soldiers, the Pentagon has essentially admitted that there is ultimately no difficulty with the status quo,” said Log Cabin Republicans President Gregory T. Angelo.
“The President’s action was a foregone conclusion, and the result is the same ban that has already been repeatedly enjoined,” said Peter Perkowski, legal director of OutServe-SLDN. “The Pentagon merely delivered a recommendation that the President asked for back in August—namely, that transgender people be categorically prohibited from serving.”

— David Taffet