Appeals Court Shields Current Trans Service Members, Lets Ban on New Recruits Stand

A D.C. Circuit panel ruled that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s policy banning transgender service members rests on unconstitutional animus but limited its impact to the plaintiffs already serving, shielding them from the ban while allowing the policy to remain in place for new enlistees as litigation proceeds; the decision avoids a nationwide injunction and could be reviewed by the full court or the Supreme Court.