States Sue Trump Over Gender-Affirming Care Crackdown

A coalition of at least 16 states and the District of Columbia has sued the Trump administration, alleging it is unlawfully pressuring healthcare providers to stop offering gender-affirming care for transgender youth, even where such care is legal. The lawsuit claims the federal government is employing threats of criminal prosecution, subpoenas, and investigations related to genital mutilation, Medicaid fraud, and drug safety to intimidate doctors and hospitals. Democratic officials argue these actions overstep federal authority and amount to a de facto national ban on gender-affirming care for minors, though no federal law prohibits these treatments. As a result, several major hospital systems have already suspended or restricted such services for youth. Supporters of the lawsuit warn that curtailing access puts vulnerable youth at risk, while opponents maintain that these treatments are inappropriate for minors. The case is currently pending in federal court.