Federal judge has just thrown a wrench into Donald Trump’s controversial plan to slash funding for transgender youth healthcare. The ruling, issued in Seattle, blocks key parts of the former president’s executive orders targeting gender-affirming care—sending shockwaves through medical institutions and advocacy groups nationwide.
US District Court Judge Lauren King had previously placed a temporary two-week hold on Trump’s policy after attorneys general from Washington, Oregon, and Minnesota filed legal challenges. On Friday, after hearing arguments, she extended the block with a preliminary injunction, dealing a significant setback to Trump’s agenda.
Trump’s executive orders—titled “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism” and “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation”—aimed to cut federal grants for institutions offering gender-affirming care to individuals under 19. This included funding for research and medical education at universities, hospitals, and clinics. The orders also suggested potential criminal charges against healthcare professionals under laws related to female genital mutilation—an argument the states challenging Trump called legally baseless and morally indefensible.
In response to the executive orders, multiple hospitals had already begun halting treatments like puberty blockers and hormone therapy for transgender youth. Medicaid coverage for gender-affirming care in several states also faced uncertainty, with fears that Trump’s directive could lead to sweeping restrictions.
Judge King, in her ruling, emphasized that the orders unfairly targeted transgender youth while allowing the same medical treatments for cisgender individuals. She pointed out a stark inconsistency: a cisgender teen undergoing cancer treatment could receive puberty blockers, but a transgender teen with an identical medical need could be denied the same care. This, she ruled, was a violation of equal treatment under federally funded programs.
Gender-affirming care, which ranges from social transitions (such as name or pronoun changes) to medical treatments like hormone therapy, is widely supported by major medical organizations. Research has shown that transgender youth denied such care face increased risks of severe depression and suicide, making access to treatment a life-or-death issue for many families.
The legal battle over Trump’s policies is far from over, but for now, the ruling provides a reprieve for institutions and families fearing the worst. Advocates hail it as a crucial victory in the fight for transgender rights, while Trump’s supporters vow to keep pushing for restrictions.
