Transgender NSA Employee Files Lawsuit Against Trump Administration Over Discrimination

Mon Dec 22 2025 21:35:47 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Sarah O’Neill, a transgender employee at the NSA, has initiated legal action against the Trump administration, challenging an executive order that she claims denies her existence and negates her workplace rights.

Sarah O’Neill, a transgender data scientist at the NSA, has filed a lawsuit in Maryland against the Trump administration, contesting an executive order that mandates federal recognition of only male and female sexes. O’Neill argues this order infringes upon her civil rights and creates a hostile work environment, as it has led to cancellation of her workplace rights and recognition of her gender identity.

A transgender employee of the National Security Agency is suing the Trump administration over a presidential executive order she claims violates federal civil rights law. Sarah O’Neill, an NSA data scientist, is challenging the executive order issued on Inauguration Day, mandating that the federal government recognize only two immutable sexes: male and female.

In her lawsuit filed Monday in a U.S. District Court in Maryland, O’Neill argues that the order declares that it is the policy of the United States government to deny [her] very existence. The White House has not yet responded to requests for comment on the case.

O’Neill contends that since the order was issued, the NSA has revoked its policies acknowledging her transgender identity and has prohibited her from using her preferred pronouns and from using the women’s restroom at work. She argues these changes have fostered a hostile workplace environment and are in violation of Section VII of the Civil Rights Act, which protects against discrimination based on gender identity.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2020 that discrimination against individuals due to their gender identity constitutes discrimination on the basis of sex, a point emphasized in O’Neill's lawsuit.

The executive order, which reflects the rhetoric of Trump’s 2024 campaign, is part of a broader set of policies that O’Neill is contesting, and she is seeking not only the restoration of her workplace rights but also financial damages.

O’Neill's case highlights ongoing legal challenges against several executive actions taken by President Trump, with similar issues continuing to navigate through the federal judiciary.