'Unadulterated animus': Judge spars with DOJ over Trump transgender military ban
A federal judge sparred with the Justice Department over the breadth of President Trump’s executive order effectively barring transgender people from serving openly in the military during a contentious hearing Tuesday over whether to block the ban indefinitely.
U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes hammered the government over the sweeping order signed during Trump’s first week back in office, suggesting it amounted to “unadulterated animus” backed up by little evidence.
“We are dealing with the president of the United States calling a group of people who have served their country, who, you have told me, have made America safer, calling them liars,” Reyes, an appointee of former President Biden, told Department of Justice (DOJ) attorney Jason Lynch.
“This is a policy of the president of the United States that is affecting thousands of people, carte blanche, without any support that has been given by anyone,” Reyes added. “How is that anything other than showing animus?”
Reyes then directed Lynch to sit down, purporting she would ban all graduates of the University of Virginia School of Law — Lynch’s alma mater — from appearing before her because they’re “liars” and “lack integrity,” terms mimicking Trump’s executive order.
“Is that animus?" she asked, calling Lynch back to the podium.
The more than five-hour hearing, which is expected to resume Wednesday, addressed the scope of the president’s order as Reyes weighs whether to issue a preliminary injunction while litigation continues.
Trump’s Jan. 27 executive order argues that transgender people are not able to “satisfy the rigorous........
© The Hill
