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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth escalated tensions between the Trump administration and federal judiciary on Saturday by ridiculing a judge who blocked the transgender military ban, suggesting she had overstepped her authority.
The ruling, issued by U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes in Washington, determined that Trump’s January 27 executive order targeting transgender Americans’ legal rights likely violated constitutional guarantees of equal protection.
Taking to social media platform X, Hegseth sarcastically addressed the judge as “Commander Reyes,” implying she was improperly interfering with military matters.
“Since ‘Judge’ Reyes is now a top military planner, she/they can report to Fort Benning at 0600 to instruct our Army Rangers on how to execute High Value Target Raids,” Hegseth wrote. “After that, Commander Reyes can dispatch to Fort Bragg to train our Green Berets on counterinsurgency warfare.”
🚨 JUST IN: Pete Hegseth TROLLS the activist judge attempting to force him to allow transgender troops in the military
Hegseth invited “she/they” to come to Fort Benning at 6am to instruct Army Rangers on conducting High Value Target Raids 🤣
Random judges should have NO SAY in… pic.twitter.com/Drql6xxgDw
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) March 22, 2025
The Biden-appointed judge’s ruling adds to growing friction between Trump’s administration and federal judges who have impeded various presidential actions since January. These tensions have raised concerns about judicial safety.
Recent weeks have seen Trump, along with billionaire adviser Elon Musk, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and other officials, launching verbal attacks on judges. Trump notably called for one judge’s impeachment, labeling him a “Radical Left Lunatic” and “troublemaker and agitator,” prompting a rare rebuke from the U.S. Chief Justice.
Federal courts are currently handling over 100 lawsuits challenging Trump administration policies, with some judges issuing nationwide injunctions against initiatives like restricting birthright citizenship.
Hegseth, who previously hosted on Fox News and served in the military, has prioritized cultural issues including transgender service restrictions and eliminating diversity programs in the military.
Following Hegseth’s Pentagon appointment, Trump removed General C.Q. Brown, the Black chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Navy’s first female top admiral. Previously, Hegseth had questioned whether Brown’s appointment was based on race.
The Next Generation of Air Dominance sends a very direct and clear message to our allies and our enemies that we are not going anywhere! pic.twitter.com/RPQrJ9mtQ1
— Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef) March 21, 2025
While the administration has broad authority over military personnel decisions, their transgender service ban has faced multiple legal challenges.
The military announced on February 11 it would stop accepting transgender recruits and cease gender transition-related medical procedures for service members. Later that month, plans to remove transgender personnel were announced.
Plaintiffs challenging the order before Judge Reyes cited a 2020 Supreme Court ruling that established discrimination against transgender individuals as illegal sex discrimination.
Administration lawyers defended the ban by comparing it to existing restrictions on service members with conditions like bipolar disorder and eating disorders. During a March 12 hearing, they urged Reyes to respect the current administration’s judgment that transgender individuals are unfit for service.
