US judge demands written retraction from Hegseth over trans military policy post

A federal judge recently scrutinized lawyers from the Justice Department in a hearing regarding the Pentagon’s attempt to ban transgender individuals from serving in the military. U.S. District Court Judge Ana Reyes, appointed by President Biden, highlighted a retweet from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth that suggested disqualifying transgender troops from service without an exemption.

The contentious issue arose when Hegseth shared a post quoting, “Pentagon says transgender troops are disqualified from service without an exemption,” linking to a Fox News Digital article about an internal Pentagon memo. The memo, disclosed in a court filing, outlined that transgender service members or those with gender dysphoria are prohibited from military service unless they obtain an exemption.

During the hearing, Reyes raised concerns about Hegseth’s retweet, implying that it conveyed all transgender troops would be disqualified. In response, DOJ lawyer Jason Manion argued that Hegseth’s statement was merely a simplification of the broader policy. However, Reyes pressed for clarity and instructed Manion to provide a declaration from Hegseth confirming his intentions by the following Monday.

Reyes expressed skepticism, stating, “His words are that this covers all transgender people. I’m not going to speculate that he was just being sloppy.” The judge’s scrutiny reflects the ongoing debate over the Pentagon’s policy on transgender individuals serving in the military.

President Trump’s executive order in January mandated the Defense Department to update guidance on “trans-identifying medical standards for military service” and eliminate conflicting directives affecting military readiness. Government lawyers have defended Trump and Hegseth’s authority to establish national defense policies.

As the legal battle continues, it is essential to consider the implications for the approximately 4,240 active duty, guard, and reserve service members diagnosed with gender dysphoria as of December. The outcome of this case will shape the future of transgender individuals in the military and their right to serve their country without discrimination.