new york federal appeal court virginia thursday reject bid president donald trump administration prevent u.s. military accept transgender recruit start jan. 1. administration urge appeal court suspend order federal judge baltimore arm force begin accept transgender recruit date administration say jan. start date cause arm force scramble revise policies risk harm military readiness brief two-paragraph order three-judge panel richmond-based 4th u.s. circuit court appeal say deny administration request appeal proceed three judge democratic appointees court action could prompt administration ask conservative-majority u.s. supreme court intervene disagree court rule currently evaluate next step u.s. justice department spokeswoman lauren ehrsam say statement several transgender service members back american civil liberties union file suit maryland trump say july would ban transgender people military move would reverse policy republican president democratic predecessor barack obama accept trump cite concern military focus medical cost far three federal judge around country issue injunctions block trump ban administration appeal three rule joshua block aclu attorney represent plaintiffs maryland case say happy appeal court saw government smokescreen delay enlistment thursday action response administration appeal nov. 21 rule u.s. district judge marvin garbis say transgender prohibition likely violate plaintiffs constitutional right equal protection law garbis rule follow similar one oct. 30 another federal judge washington d.c. third judge seattle also rule administration dec. 11. august memorandum trump give military march 2018 revert policy prohibit openly transgender people join military authorize discharge memo also halt use government fund sex-reassignment surgery active-duty military personnel obama administration set deadline july year begin accept transgender recruit trump defense secretary jam mattis postpone date jan. president ban put indefinitely trump administration say legal paper arm force prepare train thousands personnel medical standards need process transgender applicants might accept individuals medically fit service pentagon dec. issue guidelines recruitment personnel order enlist transgender applicants jan. 1. memo outline medical requirements specify applicants sex would identify even undergarments would wear ban challengers say memo contradict claim military ready justice department disagree tell court wednesday memorandum show military scramble comply injunction lawsuit lead plaintiff brock stone 34 serve u.s. navy 11 years include nine-month deployment afghanistan want remain least 20 years accord court paper u.s. court reject trump bid stop transgender military recruit jan.