'Top Military Planner': Pentagon Chief Hegseth Slams Judge For Halting Transgender Ban, Elon Musk Reacts With Fire Emoji

(MENAFN- Live Mint) US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recently mocked the judge who blocked a ban on transgender troops in the US military and suggesting she had exceeded her authority.

US District Judge Ana Reyes in Washington ruled that US President Donald Trump's January 27 executive order, targeting legal rights for transgender Americans, likely violated the US Constitution's guarantee of equal protection under the law.

In a post on social media platform X, Hegseth mockingly called the judge "Commander Reyes" and suggested she was abusing her power by making decisions about warfighting.

"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,” he added.

Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) chief Elon Musk reacted with fire emoji: "🔥🔥"

Reyes was appointed by Democratic former President Joe Biden.

Transgender people in military: What happened in court?

US federal judge Judge Ana C. Reyes had on Tuesday suspended the Trump administration's ban on transgender people serving in the military, citing the principle of equality and dealing a blow - if only temporary - to the US president's agenda.

President Donald Trump's late January order that excluded transgender people from the armed forces was suspended with Reyes referencing the US Declaration of Independence, which states that all humans are "created equal", AFP reported.

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