AFJ Applauds Judge’s Block of Transgender Military Ban

WASHINGTON, D.C., October 30 – Following a ruling by a federal district judge in Washington, D.C., that President Trump’s memorandum calling for a halt to transgender enlistments in the military should not be enforced at present, AFJ President Nan Aron released the following statement:

“Our federal courts are a critical line of defense against President Trump’s harmful, discriminatory agenda, and today we have more proof. It is very heartening to see Judge Kollar-Kotelly’s ruling today, which is a direct rebuke to President Trump’s bigoted and ill-advised attempt to shut transgender members out of our military. As the judge noted, such a ban would likely deprive transgender service members of Fifth Amendment rights and have a negative effect on our military. In spite of the Trump Administration’s ongoing efforts to roll back LGBTQ rights, we are confident that the courts will ultimately uphold transgender military members’ right to serve our country. President Trump has repeatedly nominated to the courts individuals whose records demonstrate they will erode LGBTQ rights and will not be an independent check on the Administration. Cases like this demonstrate why it is so important that the Senate not rubber stamp Trump’s nominees.”