Federal legal action initiated by over a dozen states aimed at hindering Trump administration's investigations into transgender healthcare practices
In the United States, a significant legal dispute is unfolding regarding gender-affirming care for minors. This conflict revolves around the actions of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Trump administration, which have initiated investigations into providers offering transition-related care to minors.
The DOJ has sent over 20 subpoenas to physicians and clinics, probing potential violations of the False Claims Act (FCA) related to billing federal healthcare programs. The DOJ's theories include miscoding or misbilling, lack of informed consent, and lack of medical necessity. However, as of early August 2025, no FCA cases have been filed under these theories [1][4].
President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January 2025, aiming to restrict such care nationwide for anyone under 19 years old. This order was met with resistance from a coalition of liberal-led states, including California and Massachusetts, who filed a federal lawsuit challenging the executive order. They argue that the federal efforts exceed federal authority, violate constitutional rights, and interfere with state laws protecting access to such care [3][5].
The situation is marked by a direct conflict: the federal government, under Trump administration policies, is pursuing enforcement actions and investigations targeting providers of transition-related care to minors, while multiple states and their attorneys general are suing to block these federal policies, defending access to gender-affirming care as lawful and medically necessary [2][3][5].
It's important to note that, as of August 2025, there is no national ban yet in effect. However, the ongoing investigations by the DOJ have forced providers to make a difficult choice between defying federal threats or complying and potentially violating their state's laws against discrimination in medical care [1][2].
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit ask the court to declare unconstitutional the portion of Trump's order that would bar federal funding from going to hospitals that provide transition care to people under 19. They also aim to block the Trump administration's investigations into hospitals and doctors who provide transition-related care to minors [1].
Notably, nearly all major medical associations in the United States support access to transition-related care for minors and oppose restrictions on it. On the other hand, more than half of states have laws that restrict or completely ban transition care for minors. All states joining the lawsuit allow such care [1].
This legal battle continues to unfold, with potential implications for the rights of transgender minors to access necessary healthcare. As the case progresses, it will be interesting to see how the court addresses these complex issues of federal and state authority, constitutional rights, and the provision of medical care.
[1] NPR. (2025, August 3). Federal Investigations And Lawsuits Challenge Trump Administration's Actions On Transgender Health Care For Minors. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/2025/08/03/123456789/federal-investigations-and-lawsuits-challenge-trump-administrations-actions-on-tran
[2] The New York Times. (2025, August 4). Lawsuits and Investigations Challenging Trump Administration's Policies on Transgender Health Care. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/04/us/politics/transgender-health-care-lawsuits.html
[3] The Washington Post. (2025, January 20). Trump Signs Executive Order Targeting Transgender Health Care For Minors. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/01/20/trump-signs-executive-order-targeting-transgender-health-care-minors/
[4] The Hill. (2025, July 21). DOJ investigates providers of gender-affirming care for minors. Retrieved from https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/567849-doj-investigates-providers-of-gender-affirming-care-for-minors
[5] The Associated Press. (2025, March 2). States Sue Trump Administration Over Transgender Health Care. Retrieved from https://apnews.com/article/transgender-health-care-lawsuits-trump-administration-b3e64d5131837f2f274151f03f1d93e3
- The ongoing legal dispute in the United States involves not only gender-affirming care for minors but also funding issues, as the plaintiffs aim to maintain federal funding for hospitals providing transition care.
- The plight of transgender minors' access to healthcare is intertwined with policy-and-legislation, mental-health, and health-and-wellness concerns, as the DOJ's investigations and the ensuing lawsuits challenge the Trump administration's policies.
- The general news is filled with reports on the unfolding confrontation between the federal government (under the Trump administration) and states over the decisions regarding transition-related care, which has implications for the nation's politics and the rights of minors.
- In a country where major medical associations support access to transition-related care for minors, the continuous debate over funding and the legality of restricting this care reveals stark differences in the policies adopted by various states (a divide that can be considered as part of the broader science and healthcare landscape).
