Trump Loses Effort to Dismiss Lawsuit Over Military Trans Ban

The Trump administration can’t avoid a lawsuit over a ban on military service by most transgender Americans, a judge ruled, dealing a blow to the policy seven months after the U.S. Supreme Court let it take effect.

Plaintiffs in one of several related lawsuits have an equal protection claim under the Constitution because the ban discriminates on the basis of transgender status rather than a medical condition, U.S. District Judge George Russell said in a ruling Tuesday in Maryland.

Russell dismissed other claims by the plaintiffs while allowing them to amend their complaint if they wish. The judge also dismissed ...