Trump orders the federal government not to fund or assist youth with gender transitions

Trump orders the federal government not to fund or assist youth with gender transitions

WASHINGTON — In an executive order issued Tuesday, President Donald Trump directed the federal government not to assist with gender transitions for people under the age of 19, taking a step toward fulfilling a campaign promise to “stop” gender-affirming care for children.

Trump has used executive action to roll back transgender rights since taking office last week. The federal government was prohibited from funding or assisting minors in obtaining puberty blockers, sex hormones, or surgical procedures following a decision made on Tuesday.

The order applies to federal employee health care plans as well as plans administered through Medicaid, Medicare, and TRICARE, the military and their families’ healthcare program.

“It is the policy of the United States that it will not fund, sponsor, promote, assist, or support the so-called ‘transition’ of a child from one sex to another, and it will rigorously enforce all laws that prohibit or limit these destructive and life-altering procedures,” tweeted Donald Trump.

Trump ordered the government to revoke the Biden administration’s guidance on gender-affirming care and to issue a 90-day assessment of best practices for promoting the health of transgender children.

He stated that only health plans meeting the new specifications should be available to federal employees in 2026, and he directed his administration to collaborate with Congress to pass legislation allowing children and their parents to take legal action if they have received gender-affirming care.

Trump also directed the Department of Justice to prioritize investigations and take action against states that assist in stripping custody from parents who attempt to prevent their child’s transgender care.

The Biden administration joined a Supreme Court case last year involving restrictions on gender-affirming care for minors. The Department of Justice’s lawyers were part of a team that challenged Tennessee’s ban during oral arguments in December. The court has not yet issued a decision in the case, which the Trump administration could withdraw from.

Trump’s order on Tuesday directed the Department of Justice to prioritize enforcement of laws prohibiting “female genital mutilation” without directly addressing the Tennessee case.

When Trump ran for office, he promised to “stop the chemical, physical, and emotional mutilation of our youth.” Since taking office, he has issued executive orders prohibiting transgender troops from serving and declaring male and female to be the only sexes recognized by the federal government.

On Tuesday, liberal advocacy groups rebuffed Trump’s order for transgender care for children and teenagers. Cait Smith, director of LGBTQI+ policy at the Center for American Progress, criticized Trump in a statement for making health-care decisions for transgender children and their families.

“We all want the freedom to make our own medical decisions, guided by trusted medical professionals. Today’s Executive Order follows the same old playbook that MAGA Republican politicians and judges used to interfere with women and their reproductive health care; now they are depriving doctors and families of the right to make their own medical decisions,” Smith stated.

The conservative Alliance Defending Freedom praised Trump’s order, calling it a “refreshing return to sanity,” according to senior counsel Matt Sharp.

“We applaud President Trump for fulfilling his promise to America’s families and taking these critical steps to protect children from harmful, experimental, and often irreversible medical procedures,” Mr. Sharp said.

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