A federal judge tore on Wednesday in lawyers of the Ministry of Justice and came on a retweet of Defense minister Pete Hegseeth about the disqualifying of transgender troops on service “without an exemption”.
Judge Ana Reyes of the American district court, an appointed Biden who previously stated that the idea of ​​only two sexes is not “biologically correct”, heard arguments about the Pentagon attempt to prohibit transgender individuals in the army, since trans -rights groups seek a provisional order to fully stop policy.
During the hearing, Reyes pointed to a post on X in which Hegseeth quoted: “Pentagon says that transgender troops are disqualified without exemption.” The message in question linked to a digital article by Fox News about an internal Pentagon memo.
The memo, revealed in a court application At the end of last month, says American service members who are transgender or otherwise show gender dysphoria, are prohibited for military service, unless they obtain an exemption.
The American Minister of Defense Pete Hegseeth attends on 13 February 2025 at a NATO minister’s meeting at the head office of the Alliance in Brussels. (Reuters/Yves Herman)
When Reyes interviewed government lawyers, the repost of Hegseeth seemed that all that transgender troops would be disqualified Out of services, DOJ lawyer Jason Manion argued that Hegseeth only used “Steno” for the broader policy.
“Look at the words in the policy,” said Manion.
“No!” said Reyes. “Do you really think you can do that, do you say one thing in public and do you come here to court and do you say something completely different?”
Reyes then said that Manion had until Monday to make a statement from Hegseeth that he didn’t actually mean all transgender people.
Judge Ana Reyes of the American district, depicted, heard arguments on Wednesday about the Pentagon attempt to prohibit transgender individuals to serve in the army, since trans -rights seek a provisional order to fully stop the policy. (Getty Images / Youtube / Senatordurbob, File)
“His words are that this covers all transgender people. I am not going to speculate that he was just sloppy,” said Reyes about Hegseeth.
President Donald Trump On January 27, an executive order signed that the Ministry of Defense requires to update its guidelines with regard to “trans-identifying medical standards for military service” and “means” guidelines that are not in accordance with military readiness. ”
Government lawyers have argued that Trump and Hegseeth have a broad authority to determine policy for national defense.
From December, around 4,240 active service, guards and reserve service members have been diagnosed with gender dysphoria.
