Trump orders federal government not to fund or assist with gender transitions for youth
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump directed the federal government not to help with gender transitions for individuals under the age of 19 in an executive order Tuesday, as he took a step toward fulfilling a campaign pledge to "stop" gender-affirming care for minors.
Trump has set about rolling back transgender rights with executive action since he took office last week. Tuesday's move barred the federal government from funding or helping minors obtain puberty blockers, sex hormones and surgical procedures.
The order applies to health care plans for federal employees and plans that are administered through Medicaid, Medicare and TRICARE, the health care program for members of the military and their families.
"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," Trump wrote.
Related: Supreme Court takeaways: What we learned from oral arguments in transgender care case
Trump ordered the government to revoke the Biden administration's guidance on gender-affirming care and told his Health and Human Services Department to issue an assessment on best practices for promoting the health of children seeking transgender care within 90 days.
He said the only health plans in 2026 that should be available for federal workers are the ones that meet the new specifications and directed his administration to work with Congress to pass legislation allowing children and the parents of children who have received gender-affirming care to take legal action.
Trump also told the Department of Justice to prioritize investigations and take action against states that help to strip custody from parents who try to prevent their child's transgender care.
The Biden administration joined a case that went before the Supreme Court last year involving restrictions on gender-affirming care for minors. Lawyers for the Department of Justice were part of a team that challenged Tennessee's ban in oral arguments in December. The court has not yet made a decision in the case, which the Trump administration could pull out of.
Trump's order on Tuesday directed DOJ to prioritize enforcement of laws that prevent "female genital mutilation" without directly addressing the Tennessee case.
When he was running for office, Trump said he would “stop the chemical, physical and emotional mutilation of our youth." He has signed executive orders since returning to office barring service by transgender troops and establishing male and female as the only sexes recognized by the federal government.
Liberal advocacy groups immediately rebuffed Trump's order transgender care for children and teens on Tuesday. Cait Smith, director of LGBTQI+ policy at the Center for American Progress, criticized Trump in a statement for making health care decisions for trans kids and their families.
"We all want the autonomy to make our own medical decisions with input from trusted medical professionals. Today's Executive Order comes from the same old playbook that MAGA Republican politicians and judges first used to interfere with women and their reproductive care, now they are stripping doctors and families of the freedom to make their own medical decisions," Smith said.
The conservative Alliance Defending Freedom lauded Trump's order, calling it a "refreshing return to sanity," in a statement from 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," Sharp said.
Contributing: Maureen Groppe
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump blocks federal support for gender-affirming care for youth