TL;DR
- 16 states and D.C. are suing the Trump administration for threatening providers of gender-affirming care to minors
- The lawsuit claims the federal crackdown violates state rights and discriminates against trans youth
- Trump’s executive order sought to defund hospitals offering transition care to under-19s
- The DOJ has issued subpoenas and threats of prosecution to care providers
- Hospitals are shuttering gender clinics in response, despite legal protections in many states
In a bold legal strike, 16 states and Washington, D.C., are taking the Trump administration to federal court, claiming its targeted investigations into doctors and hospitals that treat trans minors are unconstitutional. The lawsuit, filed in Massachusetts, accuses Trump and his Justice Department of waging a “cruel and targeted harassment campaign” against healthcare providers offering gender-affirming care — care that remains entirely legal in these plaintiff states.
The suit is more than just a procedural move; it’s a thunderous rebuke of Trump’s executive order, signed just days after taking office, which tried to choke off federal funding from hospitals and schools that offer puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and surgeries to trans youth under 19. Courts have blocked parts of the order, but the DOJ has pushed on, issuing threatening memos and over 20 subpoenas demanding patient records from providers across the U.S.
Defiance in the Face of Discrimination
New York Attorney General Letitia James, leading the charge, didn’t mince words: “The federal government is running a cruel and targeted harassment campaign… putting countless lives at risk.” The complaint argues that forcing providers to choose between complying with state non-discrimination laws and obeying federal threats is an impossible and illegal bind.
The memo from Attorney General Pam Bondi, released this spring, warned that the DOJ would aggressively pursue doctors who treat trans youth — even in states where the care is fully legal. A follow-up directive in June told federal prosecutors to make these cases a priority. It’s a full-court press — but now, the states are pressing back.
The lawsuit names Trump, Bondi, and Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate as defendants. Their efforts, it argues, “trammel on State power” and are nothing more than a political ploy that jeopardizes real lives. The administration, however, has gleefully embraced the fallout: dozens of youth gender clinics have shut their doors in recent months, citing legal intimidation.
The damage is already being felt. Hospitals in Connecticut, Illinois, California, and even liberal strongholds like D.C. have begun suspending or canceling care for minors. For young trans people, already among the most vulnerable populations in America, the message is clear: you’re under attack — even in places where you should be safe.
Taylor Rogers, a White House spokesperson, used language so vile it would make Anita Bryant blush, claiming the administration is protecting kids from “despicable mutilation.” This kind of rhetoric isn’t just dangerous — it’s deadly. It emboldens anti-trans violence and demonizes medical professionals trying to save lives.
This lawsuit isn’t just about state sovereignty or legal technicalities — it’s about standing up for the right of trans youth to exist, to thrive, and to get the healthcare they need without federal harassment. It’s about stopping a rollback of human rights disguised as “protecting children.” And it’s a rallying cry to the LGBTQ community: our rights are under attack, and the time to fight is now.
With nearly every major medical organization — from the American Academy of Pediatrics to the AMA — backing transition care for minors, the science is clear. The hate, unfortunately, is also clear. And that’s exactly why this case matters. The courts have a chance to tell trans kids: You belong. You are valid. And your health is not up for political debate.