The Trump administration delivered on its promise to protect children from experimental gender procedures, announcing sweeping proposals to cut federal funding from hospitals that perform these controversial treatments on minors.
Story Highlights
- HHS proposes cutting Medicaid and Medicare funding from hospitals providing gender-affirming care to children
- Health Secretary RFK Jr. calls these procedures “malpractice” that “rob children of their futures”
- Actions would impact nearly two dozen states where such treatments remain legal and federally funded
- Supreme Court recently upheld Tennessee’s ban, strengthening legal precedent for restrictions
Administration Takes Decisive Action Against Child Gender Procedures
The Department of Health and Human Services unveiled comprehensive regulatory proposals targeting gender-affirming treatments for minors. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. condemned these procedures as “malpractice,” stating that “sex-rejecting procedures rob children of their futures.”
The proposals represent the most significant federal action yet to restrict puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and surgical interventions for transgender children across the nation.
Trump administration unveils proposals to cut off transgender care for minors https://t.co/dYcUQa635D
— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) December 18, 2025
Federal Funding Restrictions Target Hospital Networks
The administration’s strategy centers on leveraging federal healthcare funding to enforce compliance. Nearly all U.S. hospitals rely on Medicare and Medicaid programs, which serve seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income Americans.
By threatening to withdraw this crucial funding, the proposals would effectively force medical institutions to choose between continuing controversial child gender treatments and maintaining their financial viability. The restrictions also extend to the State Children’s Health Insurance Program for patients under 19.
Strong Legal Foundation Supports Administration Efforts
The Supreme Court’s recent decision upholding Tennessee’s ban on gender treatments for minors provides solid legal precedent for these federal actions.
Tennessee’s law, known as SB1, prohibits puberty blockers and hormone therapy for adolescents under 18, arguing the state has a “compelling interest in encouraging minors to appreciate their sex.”
With 27 states already restricting or banning such care, the administration’s proposals align with growing state-level opposition to these experimental procedures on children.
Additional Regulatory Measures Strengthen Child Protection
Beyond funding restrictions, HHS announced plans to exclude gender dysphoria from federal disability definitions, while the FDA issued warning letters to companies marketing chest-binding equipment to minors.
Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, characterized transgender treatments as “a Band-Aid on a much deeper pathology,” emphasizing that children with gender dysphoria are “confused, lost, and need help.”
These coordinated actions demonstrate the administration’s comprehensive approach to protecting vulnerable children from potentially harmful medical interventions.
