In a move that could only come from a former reality TV star turned wannabe dictator, Donald Trump has once again raised the stakes in his ongoing war against transgender troops serving in the military. That’s right, folks—Trump is back for Round Two, and this time it’s going to court, because what’s more American than legal battles over who gets to wear the uniform?

With about 2.1 million service members in the armed forces, you might think allocating resources to find and expel a tiny fraction of transgender individuals would be less of a priority. But apparently, to Trump and his cronies, this is a matter of national importance—unless, of course, you look at everything else going on, but let’s not complicate the narrative. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who apparently learned his military strategy from an Instagram influencer, has stated, “transgender people should never be allowed to serve.” So, you know, nothing like a solid, reasoned argument to keep us all warm and fuzzy at night.

So what does this order entail? It essentially says that if you’ve been diagnosed with gender dysphoria, you can’t join or re-enlist. Surprise! They’re also getting cozy with the bathroom debate—only this time it’s about who gets to change in which facilities. Is there an award for most unnecessary drama? Because I think Trump might be in the running.

Now, don’t let your coffee go cold just yet; the Pentagon claims that they can’t even accurately count how many transgender troops are currently serving. The estimates range between 9,000 and 12,000, and good luck tracking them down when service members are already preoccupied worrying about the possibility of being outed.

Advocacy groups are understandably upset, pointing out that successful service members don’t suddenly become a liability because they’re being their authentic selves. Sasha Buchert from Lambda Legal put it bluntly: “This casts an enormous shadow on people that are getting ready to deploy.” Because nothing says military readiness like spending your deployment feeling paranoid about your own comrades.

This isn’t Trump’s first rodeo with this issue. He previously tried to impose a ban via a Twitter rant back in 2017. What a time to be alive! And despite a temporary resolution under Biden that allowed transgender troops to serve openly, Trump is here to throw a wrench in that progress once more. Basically, it’s like an unwanted sequel to a film no one asked for—complete with all the original tropes.

In a world where military readiness is trumpeted (pun intended) as the ultimate goal, it’s hard to understand how kicking capable service members out can be justified. It’s almost as if they want to prioritize “macho” over meritocracy. Who needs well-trained, qualified individuals when you can have a homogenous force that meets a certain aesthetic? And isn’t that what really matters?

So, strap in, everyone. This is going to be another bumpy ride through the absurdities of modern politics—let’s hope the courts can help clear the fog, even if it feels like we’re spinning in circles.