Trump order recognizes only two sexes. Advocates call it 'cruel,' 'lawless.'
USA Today7 days
Trump Ends Federal Funding of Under-19s' Gender Transitioning
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Above: Us Pres. Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Jan. 23, 2025. Image copyright: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
Pres. Donald Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order determining that his government won't "fund, sponsor, promote, assist, or support the so-called ‘transition’ of a child from one sex to another," calling the procedures "destructive" and "life-altering."
The order stated that the "dangerous trend" of "maiming and sterilizing" impressionable children is "a stain on our Nation's history, and it must end." It also encourages Congress to let those regretting such procedures sue the providers.
Trump's order further dubbed the World Professional Association for Transgender Health's guidance “junk science.” In his inauguration speech earlier this month, he declared a new US policy only to recognize the genders male and female.
The Spin
Pro-Trump narrative
Pres. Donald Trump's decisive move to protect vulnerable children takes a stand against an ideology that has misled families and endangered young lives. This policy prioritizes safeguarding children from life-altering surgeries and chemical treatments, ensuring they aren't subjected to harmful experimentation under the guise of "gender-affirming care."
Anti-Trump narrative
Trump’s order is a callous, politically motivated attack on transgender youth, that ignores decades of medical consensus. Framing lifesaving care as “mutilation” disregards science, parental rights, and the humanity of trans people. This move isn’t about protecting children; it’s about erasing them from public life and weaponizing fear.
