Former President Donald J. Trump took to his social media platform Truth Social on Tuesday to make a pledge that, if reelected in 2024, he will undo the progress made in transgender rights during his time in office. The former president, who has been impeached twice, called access to gender-affirming care “child abuse” and “child sexual mutilation.” He stated that he would stop government agencies from promoting “the concept of sex and gender transition at any age” and cut off federal funding to doctors and healthcare groups providing gender-affirming care to minors.
Trump also expressed his commitment to promoting “positive education about the nuclear family” and celebrating “the things that make men and women different and unique.” He added that he would ask Congress to pass a bill recognizing only male and female genders assigned at birth and warned teachers and school officials of “severe consequences” for suggesting a child could be in the wrong body.
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Leading medical associations have voiced support for gender-affirming care for youth, yet Trump’s pledge goes even further than the recent anti-LGBTQ+ policies enacted by state Republican lawmakers. In Utah, a bill was signed into law this week that bans most gender-affirming care for youth. Other states that have taken action against gender-affirming care include Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, and Oklahoma. During his administration, Trump removed Title IX protections over bathroom access and ended protections for transgender people under the Affordable Care Act.
