Background
Under the administration of President Biden, the Federal government has been accused of conducting a controversial social and medical experiment involving American children. In just the first three years of his presidency, over 7,000 minors were reportedly given puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones, while more than 4,000 underwent surgical procedures aimed at altering their sex traits, such as mastectomies. These medical interventions were marketed to children based on ideologically charged and financially motivated claims lacking substantive scientific backing.
On January 28, 2025, President Trump took a decisive stance by signing Executive Order 14187, titled “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation.” This order prohibits Federal agencies from funding or facilitating these controversial medical practices and mandates a broader cessation of what it deems immoral and scientifically unfounded interventions. Below, we summarize the initial measures being enacted to implement this directive.
Restoring Scientific Integrity
Section 3(i) mandates that agencies retract or revise any policies adhering to the “Standards of Care Version 8” established by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH). These guidelines have been criticized for being influenced more by political pressures than by robust scientific evidence. Notably, during the creation of these standards, former Assistant Secretary for Health, Admiral Levine, allegedly pressured WPATH to eliminate proposed age restrictions on surgical interventions. Following this, Levine issued a Federal guideline titled “Gender-affirming Care and Young People,” which advocated for the medicalization of minors.
Upon Trump’s inauguration, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) promptly removed Levine’s guidance and other questionable materials from its website. However, a court order later required HHS to restore these documents, accompanied by a disclaimer explicitly rejecting Levine’s guidance and any references to WPATH.
Section 3(ii) instructs HHS to conduct a comprehensive, evidence-based review of best practices for supporting the health of children experiencing gender dysphoria. A team of eight reputable scholars has been assembled for this task, with a commitment to publish findings within 90 days.
Promoting Accurate Information
Section 3(b) urges HHS to employ “all available methods” to enhance data quality and improve health practices for minors facing gender dysphoria.
One key study, financed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has come under scrutiny for withholding results for political reasons. The NIH is committed to ensuring transparency and accountability for all research funded by taxpayers.
Additionally, HHS is evaluating data collection tools to ensure that federal statistics accurately reflect biological realities and are beneficial for medical purposes.
Stopping Taxpayer-Funded Child Experimentation
Section 4 instructs HHS to take immediate actions to ensure that medical institutions receiving federal research or education grants cease practices involving chemical and surgical alterations of children.
As part of this effort, HHS has terminated 215 grants, resulting in savings exceeding $477 million for taxpayers. For instance, a grant of over $1.3 million intended for a program aimed at adapting a teen pregnancy prevention initiative for transgender boys and another nearly $6 million grant to Boston Children’s Hospital for a health initiative for gender-diverse young adults have been rescinded.
Ensuring Proper Medical Treatment
Section 5 requires HHS to take necessary measures to eliminate the chemical and surgical alteration of children. On March 5, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a Special Alert Memo titled “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation,” which informed healthcare providers about the risks associated with these interventions and the lack of supporting medical evidence. The memo emphasized the critical importance of adhering to the highest standards of care, particularly when it concerns the welfare of children.
In the days following, similar communications were disseminated by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Health Resources and Services Administration, and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health.
The administration is planning further actions in line with Section 5, including exploring additional avenues for increasing access to detransition care through CMS.
Section 6 mandates that the Department of Defense prohibit child mutilation as a covered medical benefit for its health services contractors. Meanwhile, Section 7 directs the Office of Personnel Management to exclude coverage for such procedures involving the children of federal employees starting in Plan Year 2026.
Ensuring Equal Protection and Rule of Law
Under Section 8, the Department of Justice (DOJ) is developing guidelines to enforce 18 U.S.C. § 116, focusing on protecting against female genital mutilation. The DOJ is also initiating investigations into entities that have allegedly misled the public regarding the long-term repercussions of chemical and surgical alterations under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
Furthermore, the DOJ is drafting legislation to create a private right of action for children who have suffered chemical or surgical harm, along with their parents, to seek redress. A “Parental Rights Task Force” is also in the works to advocate for parental rights, particularly in states like California, where parental refusal to consent to such medical procedures can lead to custody issues.
