Trump signs order to defund gender transitions for minors

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Tuesday to end federal support for medical procedures aimed at altering sex or gender that involve surgical interventions or the use of puberty blockers or sex hormones in those under 19 years old, CNN reported.

“Accordingly, it is the policy of the United States that it will not fund, sponsor, promote, assist, or support the so-called ‘transition’ of a child from one sex to another, and it will rigorously enforce all laws that prohibit or limit these destructive and life-altering procedures,” the order states.

The order directs the secretary of health and human services to “take all appropriate actions” to end the use of gender-affirming care for minors, including actions that could involve Medicare, Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. It also instructs HHS to withdraw its guidance on gender-affirming care and patient privacy.

The order also directs the Department of Justice to investigate states that protect access to the procedures and “review” the enforcement of the US legal code that criminalizes female genital mutilation on minors.

The order outlines measures for tracking the progress of these directives.