Washington, Dec 8 (AFP) President Donald Trump'sadministration has asked a federal court to block the Pentagonfrom starting the hiring of transgender recruits next year.
The filing by the Justice Department late on Wednesday isthe latest in a series of legal measures that have unfoldedsince Trump sent out three tweets in July saying thattransgender troops could not serve "in any capacity" in themilitary.
Those tweets, later followed by a formal White Housememorandum, set off a roar of protest -- with several servicemembers and rights groups quick to sue.
Two federal courts have since temporarily blocked Trump'sban, and the Pentagon was due to start accepting transgenderrecruits on January 1.
The government's filing calls for a partial delay,specifically that the Pentagon does not accept transgenderrecruits from that date.
"Defendants request that the court stay the portion ofits preliminary injunction requiring defendants to beginaccessing transgender individuals into the military on January1, 2018," pending an appeal decision, court documents state.
The Pentagon declined to comment on the litigation.
Under a new policy announced last year by the Obamaadministration, the Pentagon was originally supposed to startaccepting transgender recruits on July 1, 2017.
However, that was delayed for six months by DefenseSecretary Jim Mattis pending further review of the matter.
"Compelling the military to implement a new accessionspolicy while it is simultaneously completing a comprehensivestudy of military service by transgender individuals ... wouldwaste significant military resources and sow unnecessaryconfusion," the government argued in its filing. (AFP)AQS.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.