**Trump Signs Controversial Executive Order on Transgender Care**
In a bold move, former President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled *“Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation”* shortly after assuming office as the 47th President of the United States. This order, part of a series of rapid policy changes, reinforces Trump’s stance that there are *“only two genders”* and targets gender-affirming care for minors, calling it a *“dangerous trend”* and a *“stain on our Nation’s history.”*
The order accuses medical professionals of *“maiming and sterilizing impressionable children”* through irreversible procedures, claiming these interventions are based on *“radical and false claims”* about changing a child’s sex. It argues that many children later regret these decisions, facing lifelong medical complications, infertility, and emotional trauma. The document also highlights concerns about rising healthcare costs and the inability of affected individuals to conceive or breastfeed.
Trump’s administration vows to *“strictly enforce laws”* prohibiting such procedures and will *“not fund, sponsor, or support”* the transition of minors. The order defines a *“child”* as anyone under 19 and seeks to ban the use of puberty blockers, hormone therapies like estrogen and testosterone, and surgeries that alter physical appearance or sexual organs to align with a gender identity different from their birth sex.
Critics argue the order undermines transgender rights and access to essential healthcare, while supporters view it as a necessary step to protect children from what they describe as irreversible harm. The policy has sparked heated debate, with its long-term impact on transgender youth and their families yet to be fully understood.
This executive order marks a significant moment in the ongoing national conversation about gender identity, medical ethics, and the rights of minors.
Transgender assistance from federally administered insurance programs, such as Medicaid and TRICARE for military families, will be discontinued as a result of the directive.
