Pentagon policy illegally banned transgender troops from military, appeal court rules

A divided panel of federal appeal court judges has ruled that a Pentagon policy illegally banned transgender troops from military service. The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia circuit's majority opinion stated the Trump administration's policy was designed to exclude individuals based on their gender identity. This ruling is a legal setback for President Trump's agenda. However, the ban will remain in effect for now, as the US Supreme Court allowed it to proceed last year while litigation continues. The appeal court has also put its own ruling on hold to permit further appeals, and the ban currently applies to those already serving, not those seeking to enlist.