A federal judge in New Jersey temporarily blocked the Trump administration from separating two transgender service members from the Air Force.
The ruling is the second example of a federal judge ruled the Trump administration as he attempts to implement a ban on transgender people from serving the military.
Former President Joe Biden's appointee, US District Judge Christine O'Hern, issued a temporary 14-day restraining order on Monday to prevent the Trump administration from carrying out the order and ousting Master Sergeant. Logan Ireland and Sergeant Staff. Nicholas Bear is poor from the service.
Specifically, O'Hearn said Ireland and Baid have demonstrated that separation from services has a negative effect on their careers and reputation.
O'Han also said that their “adorned military status, the unwilling loss of military health care, and the ability to serve their country under policies they have been faithful to for many years cannot be repaired by financial damage.”
“The loss of military service under the stigma of policy targeting gender identity is not just a job loss. It is a deep disruption in personal dignity, healthcare continuity and public service,” O'Hern said Monday.
Federal judge torn DOJ's lawyers and demand written withdrawal from Hegses over a transgender military policy post
The Trump administration calls for preventing transgender individuals from serving the military. (Reuters)
The Department of Defense introduced Fox News to the Department of Justice for comment. The Justice Department told Fox News Digital that it “strokes” Trump's executive order.
“This is the latest example of an activist judge trying to take power at the expense of Americans who voted overwhelmingly to elect President Trump,” a Justice Department spokesperson said.
In January, Trump signed an executive order banning transgender individuals from serving the military, and urged Secretary of Defense Pete Hegses to follow up with an order in February dictating each service branch to begin separating transgender forces within 30 days.
DOJ issues complaints about federal judges' “fraud” while governing the Military Transport Court's lawsuit
The Secretary of Defense will speak to the media on Tuesday, February 11, 2025 during a visit to the headquarters of the US European Command and African Command at the African Command at Kelly Barracks in Stuttgart, Germany. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
O'Hern's decision comes after Washington, D.C., US District Judge Ana Reyes prevented the Trump administration from blocking the ban on March 19th. Reyes said the Trump administration's order was identified as “immersed in animus.”
DOJ issues complaints about federal judges' “fraud” while governing the Military Transport Court's lawsuit
“Indeed, the cruel irony is that thousands of transgender soldiers have sacrificed their lives in danger in order to ensure that the ban on military forces have a very equal right of protection to others that they seek to deny,” Reyes wrote in the decision.
Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has signed more than 90 executive orders, spurring more than 125 lawsuits against his administration.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
