A group of seven current and former military service members, along with an advocacy organization, have filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s recent reinstatement of a ban on transgender individuals serving in the military.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington Thursday, claims that the ban, announced by then-President-Elect Trump in December 2024 and enacted in January 2025, violates the equal protection and due process guarantees of the Fifth Amendment and the free speech guarantee of the First Amendment.
The plaintiffs include three senior naval officers, three senior enlisted service members in the Army and Air Force, and one transgender person seeking to enlist in the Marine Corps.
The organizational plaintiff, Gender Justice League, seeks to protect its members who are or aspire to be service members from discrimination.
The lawsuit argues that the ban is based on “impermissible animus” towards transgender people and lacks any legitimate or rational justification.
It also claims that the ban undermines military readiness by turning away qualified individuals willing to serve.
The plaintiffs are seeking a declaratory judgment that the ban is unconstitutional, as well as preliminary and permanent injunctive relief preventing its implementation and enforcement.
The lawsuit provides detailed background information on each of the plaintiffs, highlighting their military service and experience. It also includes a comprehensive history of the military’s policies regarding transgender service members, dating back to 2014.
The plaintiffs argue that the ban is discriminatory and harmful to military readiness.
They point to the fact that thousands of transgender individuals are currently serving in the military without any reported issues. They also cite studies showing that the cost of providing medical care to transgender service members is minimal.