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By Gabe Whisnant
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On Tuesday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order designed to cut federal support for gender transitions for individuals under the age of 19, marking his latest effort to reverse protections for transgender people nationwide.
The order mandates that federally run insurance programs, such as TRICARE for military families and Medicaid, exclude coverage for gender-affirming care.
The Context
This move comes as part of a broader effort by Trump to dismantle policies established by the previous administration aimed at protecting transgender individuals. A day prior, Trump instructed the Pentagon to review policies likely to lead to barring transgender individuals from military service.
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Recently, Trump signed another order to define sex strictly as male or female, disregarding nonbinary or intersex identities and the concept of fluid gender. This earlier order has already caused the State Department to stop issuing passports with an "X" gender marker, compelling transgender individuals to apply for travel documents that do not align with their gender identity.
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What To Know
The new executive order, "Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation," directs federally run insurance programs, including TRICARE for military families and Medicaid, to exclude coverage for gender-affirming care and calls on the Department of Justice to pursue litigation and legislation to oppose the practice.
Additionally, it calls on the DOJ to aggressively pursue litigation and legislation opposing the practice. Currently, Medicaid programs in some states offer coverage for gender-affirming care, but this new order could potentially end that practice, specifically targeting hospitals and universities that receive federal funding and provide such care.
Although some state Medicaid programs currently cover gender-affirming care, this new order suggests that practice could end and specifically targets hospitals and universities that receive federal funding.
Even as transgender visibility and acceptance have increased, they have become targets for social conservatives. Over the past few years, at least 26 states have enacted laws restricting or opposing medical care for transgender minors, many of which are currently being challenged in court.
These recent moves reflect a growing trend among Republican-controlled states to impose legislation that restricts transgender rights, including participation in sports and access to bathrooms.
Last week, during a prayer service for Trump, Bishop Mariann Budde called for mercy toward immigrants and LGBTQ+ individuals, criticizing Trump's newly signed executive orders on gender recognition and deportation measures.
She addressed concerns for LGBTQ+ individuals, emphasizing the fears of "gay, lesbian, and transgender children" under Trump's policies. Trump later criticized the prayer service on Truth Social, calling the bishop "very ungracious" and "not very good at her job."
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump, in the executive order: "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."
Harper Seldin, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union's LGBTQ & HIV Project, told the Associated Press: "It's very clear that this order, in combination with the other orders that we've seen over the past week, are meant to not protect anyone in this country, but rather to single-mindedly drive out transgender people of all ages from all walks of civic life."
What Happens Next
The immediate and potential outcomes of Trump's new order will likely face legal challenges.
Update 1/28/25, 6:12 p.m. ET: The headline on this article was updated for clarity.
Update 1/28/25, 6:48 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
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