Judge Grills Trump Administration on Transgender Military Ban

Judge Questions Trump Administration on Transgender Military Ban

A federal judge in Washington D.C. grilled Justice Department lawyers with hypothetical questions and video game references during the second day of oral arguments regarding the Trump administration's attempt to restrict or ban transgender U.S. service members in the military.

Judge Ana Reyes, a Biden appointee, pressed the lawyers for answers about the nature of President Trump's January 27 executive order, which requires the Defense Department to update its guidance on "trans-identifying medical standards for military service" and to "rescind guidance inconsistent with military readiness."

The order, which critics say promotes "radical gender ideology," lacks clarity on how the Pentagon should implement it. Judge Reyes repeatedly questioned the government's rationale and potential impact of the order.

In a rapid-fire series of questions, Judge Reyes explored hypothetical scenarios, referenced real-world events, and injected her own observations. She highlighted actions taken by the Trump administration against transgender individuals, including revoking regulations that ensured equal access to homeless shelters.

Judge Reyes directly asked the Justice Department lawyers whether they considered such actions discriminatory. She even invoked Jesus, asking what he would think about denying transgender individuals access to shelters.

The government lawyers, including Jason Lynch, struggled to keep pace with Judge Reyes's inquiries. They declined to answer hypothetical questions or speculate on the potential impact of the executive order on individual service members.

Judge Reyes expressed frustration with the order, describing it as expressing "unadulterated animus" towards transgender service members. She acknowledged the importance of military preparedness but questioned how the order would achieve that goal.

In a hypothetical scenario, Judge Reyes imagined herself as Secretary of Defense and issuing a policy requiring all units to have Miss Pac-Man machines. She challenged the government's argument that the president has 30 days to issue a policy, regardless of its content.

Judge Reyes emphasized that she would not rule on the executive order until the Trump administration outlines its policy and its potential impact on transgender service members. She repeatedly directed her questions to Lynch, reminding him that he was representing the administration in court.

The transgender military policy is set to take effect on February 28. The court has scheduled a hearing on March 3 to further consider the executive order.