Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recently sparked controversy with his comments about a federal judge’s ruling on transgender military service. On Saturday, he suggested that U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes, who ruled that the Pentagon must allow transgender individuals to serve, should report to military bases as if she were a military planner.
The judge’s ruling came after she issued a preliminary injunction blocking the enforcement of President Donald Trump’s executive order that aimed to ban transgender people from the military. This order, issued in January 2025, stated that expressing a gender identity different from one’s sex does not meet the standards required for military service. The order also claimed that adopting a gender identity inconsistent with one’s sex contradicts a soldier’s commitment to a disciplined lifestyle.
In her decision, Judge Reyes criticized Trump’s policy, calling it "unabashedly demeaning" and stating that it stigmatizes transgender individuals as unfit for service. She expressed concern that the executive order likely violates constitutional rights. Reyes acknowledged that her ruling would likely lead to public debate and appeals, but emphasized that all who serve deserve respect and gratitude.
Hegseth responded to the ruling on social media, suggesting that Judge Reyes should go to Fort Benning to instruct Army Rangers and then to Fort Bragg to train Green Berets. His comments have drawn criticism and raised questions about the appropriateness of his remarks.
Reyes’s order is temporarily delayed to give the Trump administration time to appeal, which they have indicated they will do. She pointed out that many transgender service members have already sacrificed greatly for their country, risking their lives to protect the rights that the ban seeks to deny them.
The debate surrounding this issue highlights ongoing tensions over military policy and the rights of transgender individuals in service. As the situation unfolds, it promises to remain a significant topic of discussion within both military and civil rights circles.