The US Supreme Court in Washington, DC, on January 22, 2019. The US Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed US President Donald Trump鈥檚 restrictions on transgender military service to take effect pending the outcome of litigation on the sensitive issue. The White House had asked the Supreme Court to intervene after lower courts prohibited Trump鈥檚 administration from implementing the controversial restrictions. AFP
WASHINGTON, United States 鈥� The US Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed President Donald Trump鈥檚 ban on transgender military service to take effect pending the outcome of litigation on the sensitive issue.
The White House had asked the Supreme Court to intervene after lower courts prohibited Trump鈥檚 administration from implementing the controversial restrictions.
The Trump administration has said there is 鈥渢oo聽 great a risk to military effectiveness and lethality鈥� to allow transgender people to serve openly 鈥� a policy enacted under Trump鈥檚 predecessor Barack Obama.
The court decided by a narrow 5-4 majority to allow the restrictions as litigation moves forward in lower courts 鈥� a ruling praised by the Pentagon.
鈥淭he Department is pleased with the orders issued by the Supreme Court today.聽 We will continue to work with the Department of Justice regarding next steps in the pending lawsuits,鈥� it said in a statement, adding that 鈥渨e treat all transgender persons with respect and dignity.鈥�
Under the Obama-era policy, transgender recruits were to start being accepted by July 1, 2017. The Trump administration postponed that date to January 1, 2018, before deciding to reverse the policy entirely.
But the ban on transgender people in the military was repeatedly challenged in court, leading to an updated policy that also contained major restrictions.
It barred military service by people who had undergone gender reassignment surgery as well as people who have been diagnosed with gender dysphoria 鈥� unless they could demonstrate an absence of the condition for 36 consecutive months.
The updated policy 鈥� which the Pentagon insisted Tuesday 鈥渋s NOT a ban on service by transgender persons,鈥� despite having previously acknowledged that it may exclude 鈥渕any鈥� of them 鈥� was also suspended because of its similarity to the original measure.
Democrats slam ruling
The government appealed and asked the Supreme Court to hear the case, requesting that it suspend the rulings of the lower courts.
Otherwise, 鈥渢he nationwide injunction would 鈥� remain in place for at least another year and likely well into 2020 鈥� a period too long for the military to be forced to maintain a policy that it has determined, in its professional judgment, to be contrary to the nation鈥檚 interests,鈥� the Trump administration argued.
The number of transgender troops among America鈥檚 approximately 1.3 million active duty service members is fairly small, with estimates topping out at 15,000. Their fate is currently unclear.
Democrats were quick to condemn the Supreme Court ruling and the underlying Trump administration policy it permits.
鈥淧rejudice is not patriotism. Discrimination is not a national security strategy. This ban is nothing more than bigotry codified into law and an insult to all who have worn our nation鈥檚 uniform,鈥� Democratic National Committee chairman Tom Perez said in a statement.
Democratic Senator Diane Feinstein said it effectively marks a return to the policy under which openly gay people were barred from military service.聽
鈥淭he ban would essentially restore 鈥楧on鈥檛 Ask, Don鈥檛 Tell鈥� for transgender service members, only allowing them to serve if they hide their true identity,鈥� Feinstein said.
And Democratic Representative Adam Smith, the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said that 鈥渁nyone who is qualified and willing should be allowed to serve their country openly.鈥�
鈥淲e have fought against this bigoted policy at every step, and we will continue to do so,鈥� he said. /cbb