OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 9:02 AM PT — Friday, Dec. 14, 2018
The Trump administration is seeking aid from the Supreme Court to take the next step in imposing a ban on transgender people in the military.
In court filings Thursday, the Justice Department’s solicitor general — Noel Francisco — requested a hold against the lower courts, which are currently preventing the administration from enforcing the policy.
If approved, the hold will allow a temporary block of military recruitment of transgender individuals pending the outcome of the ongoing legal battle.
The move comes just weeks after the administration asked the Supreme Court to fast-track its review of the order, pushing the issue past the appeals court.
Transgender U.S. Army Capt. Jennifer Sims lifts her uniform during a July interview with The Associated Press in Beratzhausen near Regensburg, Germany. (Photo/Matthias Schrader/AP)
Many critics have chimed in against the ban since the president first announced it on Twitter last year, claiming the president is taking an anti-LGBTQ stance. However, the White House is adamant the decision is based off security concerns and is claiming the previous policy poses a risk to overall military effectiveness.
“The president’s expressed concerns since this Obama policy came into effect, but he’s also voiced that this is a very expensive and disruptive policy and based on consultation that he’s had with his national security team, came to the conclusion that it erodes military readiness and unit cohesion and made the decision based on that,” stated Press Secretary Sarah Sanders.
Francisco is claiming this current legal battle is part of a “growing trend” by activist judges. He cited the numerous injunctions placed on the administration by the courts blocking policies involving national security, defense, and immigration.
