Judge blocks Trump’s order restricting transgender youth care

A federal judge has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s executive order restricting gender-affirming care for transgender individuals under the age of 19. The ruling prevents the administration from withholding federal funds from medical institutions that provide treatments such as puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and surgeries.

Trump’s order directed the Department of Health and Human Services to take steps to halt what he described as the “chemical and surgical mutilation of children.” However, the executive order did not place similar restrictions on these procedures for non-transgender minors.

Judge Brendan A. Hurson issued a 14-day restraining order, requiring the release of any withheld federal funds and notifying agencies of the ruling. The decision also temporarily blocks another provision of Trump’s executive order that sought to prevent federal funds from being used to “promote gender ideology.”

The ruling follows a legal challenge filed by transgender youth, their families, and advocacy groups, arguing that the executive order violates constitutional protections, including the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment, the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, and the First Amendment.

Trump’s order is the latest in a series of policies affecting transgender individuals. His administration has also issued executive orders to restrict transgender participation in the military, end federal legal recognition of transgender identities, and limit gender marker changes on federal documents.

The transgender community, which comprises less than 1% of the U.S. population over age 13, continues to face significant policy shifts under Trump’s administration. The court’s restraining order offers a temporary reprieve, but legal battles over transgender rights are expected to continue.