The U.S. Supreme Court has allowed President
Trump to enforce his policy of banning certain
transgender people from joining the military.
For more on this and other news around the
world we turn to our Ro Aram…
Aram… this deals a blow to activists….
That's right Mark…
Several courts nationwide had backed LGBT
activists by issuing injunctions that barred
the Trump administration from pursuing its
policy.
It was those injunctions that the U.S. Supreme
Court put on hold Tuesday.
It was a close decision, with justices split
five to four in allowing the plan to take
effect.
They, however, took no stance on the legality
of the ban, which continues to be challenged
in lower courts.
Trump's first announced the policy two years
ago in a tweet and was later officially announced
by then-Secretary of Defense James Mattis.
It blocks individuals who have been diagnosed
with gender dysphoria - a discomfort with
their birth gender - from serving with limited
exceptions.
It also requires that military personnel serve
as members of their biological gender.
After Tuesday's decision, the Pentagon sought
to clarify that the policy does not ban all
transgender persons from the military.
The Defense Department can also issue waivers
on a case-by-case basis.
