Justice Department seeks to clear last hurdle to imposing Trump’s military transgender ban

Armed with a favorable Supreme Court decision, the Trump administration is seeking injunctive relief to clear the last legal impediment to imposing a ban on military service on most, but not all, transgender troops.

Tuesday’s Supreme Court decision lifted two preliminary injunctions imposed by federal judges in two separate cases in California and Washington state.

A third injection had been previously removed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

But the Pentagon said in a statement Wednesday that a fourth injunction by a federal court in Maryland remains in effect, blocking implementation of the policy drafted by then-Defense Secretary Jim Mattis in February of 2018.

“DOJ [the Department of Justice] is seeking relief from this remaining injunction in light of the Supreme Court's action, but at present it remains in place,” said Lt. Col. Carla Gleason, a Pentagon spokesperson in a statement Wednesday.