The US Supreme Court has temporarily permitted President Donald Trump to impose a ban on transgender people serving in the military while legal challenges proceed, BBC reported.

Trump signed executive orders urging the Pentagon to enforce the policy, claiming that transgender identification conflicts with military discipline and readiness. A lower court ruled against the action citing a lack of evidence, but the administration requested the court to defer to military judgment.

The court issued a stay in a 5–4 ruling, with three liberal judges dissenting. Following the decision, the Pentagon announced that it will begin discharging transgender service members, according to BBC.

Trump also issued a supplementary order stating that the federal government will only recognize gender as male or female, based on the sex assigned at birth.