Federal Judge blocks Trump administration’s attempt to cut funding for hospitals providing gender transition treatments to youth under 19, dealing a significant blow to the president’s executive orders aimed at curtailing transgender youth care.
Key Takeaways
- A Baltimore federal judge issued a nationwide preliminary injunction preserving federal funding for hospitals providing gender-transition treatments to those under 19.
- The injunction blocks implementation of two Trump executive orders that aimed to restrict federal support for youth gender medicine.
- President Trump has called on Congress to pass legislation criminalizing transgender procedures for minors at the federal level.
- Over two dozen Republican-led states have already enacted laws banning transgender procedures for minors.
- Senators Josh Hawley and Roger Marshall have proposed federal legislation addressing transgender procedures for children.
Court Blocks Trump’s Executive Orders on Transgender Care
Judge Brendan A. Hurson, a Biden appointee, issued a nationwide preliminary injunction that prevents the Trump administration from withholding federal funds from hospitals providing gender-transition treatments to individuals under 19 years old. The ruling expands on a previous decision that had applied to only four states, now effectively pausing Trump’s executive order efforts across the country. The case was brought by six transgender individuals aged 12 to 18, along with parents and advocacy groups from Maryland, New York, and Massachusetts who argued their access to treatment was threatened.
The court found that the plaintiffs are likely to succeed in their claims that the orders violate laws against sex discrimination and the Fifth Amendment’s equal protection guarantees. Following the initial executive orders, some clinics had already canceled appointments for the plaintiffs, demonstrating immediate impact. Judge Hurson’s ruling indicates significant legal hurdles for the government in implementing these executive orders, suggesting Trump may have exceeded his authority in issuing them.
"We are getting wokeness OUT of our schools & military. We will pass bill criminalizing sex changes on children & forever end the lie that they are trapped in the wrong body"
Trump rattled both wokes & liberals with just one statement đŸ˜‚đŸ”¥ pic.twitter.com/S8ki599cyg
— BALA (@erbmjha) March 5, 2025
Trump’s Call for Federal Criminalization
Despite the court setback, President Trump has intensified his position by calling on Congress to pass federal legislation criminalizing transgender procedures for minors. Trump signed executive orders designed to cut federal funding for schools and institutions that promote what his administration refers to as “gender ideology” or perform transgender procedures on children, stating “I also signed an order to cut off all taxpayer funding to any institution that engages in the sexual mutilation of our youth, And now I want Congress to pass a bill permanently banning and criminalizing sex changes on children and forever ending the lie that any child is trapped in the wrong body.”. The executive orders specifically prohibit government funding or support for gender transition attempts in children and direct enforcement of laws against such procedures.
Trump has emphasized his belief that children are “perfect exactly the way God made you,” positioning his policies as protective measures for youth. His administration’s position directly challenges the approach taken during the Biden years and aligns with legislative actions already taken in numerous Republican-led states that have enacted similar bans on transgender procedures for minors.
Congressional Legislation Proposals
Senators Roger Marshall and Josh Hawley have introduced legislation that would restrict transgender procedures for children nationwide. Hawley’s bill specifically would allow children who were harmed by transgender procedures to sue the doctors and hospitals responsible for those procedures. This legislative approach follows Trump’s executive order blocking federal funding for hospitals performing transgender procedures on minors, creating multiple avenues to restrict such treatments.
Over two dozen Republican-led states have already enacted laws banning transgender procedures for minors, demonstrating significant political support for such restrictions at the state level. The federal legislation proposed by Hawley and Marshall would elevate these restrictions to national policy, creating uniform standards across all states regardless of their current positions on transgender youth healthcare. This approach has become a significant part of the conservative policy agenda regarding youth gender issues.
Sources:
Judge Blocks Trump Orders to Stop Funds for Trans Youth Health Providers
Trump Calls For Congress To Pass Bill To End The ‘Sexual Mutilation’ Of Kids
