Trump Calls for Permanent Ban on Gender-Affirming Care for Minors in Congressional Address

Washington, D.C., March 5, 2025 – In his first address to Congress since returning to the presidency, U.S. President Donald Trump urged lawmakers to pass legislation permanently banning and criminalizing gender-affirming care for children. Labeling the idea that a child might be “trapped in the wrong body” as a “big lie,” Trump declared, “My message to every child in America is that you are perfect just as God created you,” drawing applause from Republican supporters.

Context and Policy Push

Trump’s stance is part of a broader campaign against what he terms “wokeness”—a term he uses to criticize social justice initiatives, including transgender rights, which he believes harm American society. He has called for removing such ideas from schools and the military, aligning with his “America First” agenda. This address follows executive orders signed in February 2025 restricting gender-affirming care for those under 19, barring federally funded institutions from offering puberty blockers, hormone therapies, or surgeries (ABC News, Feb 4, 2025). He also ordered investigations into pharmaceutical companies and hospitals, accusing them of hiding “long-term side effects” for profit (NBC News, Feb 1, 2025).

ترامب : أريد الآن أن يقر الكونغرس مشروع قانون يحظر بشكل دائم ويجرم تغيير جنس الأطفال وينهي الكذبة القائلة بأن أي طفل محاصر في جسده. ورسالتنا لكل طفل في أمريكا هي أنك مثالي تمامًا كما خلقك الله. pic.twitter.com/jMtJV6wxvW — ??محمد|MFU (@mfu46) March 5, 2025

Trump’s pressure on Congress to enact a federal law criminalizing such care for minors intensifies a polarizing debate, pitting conservative values against transgender rights advocacy. Web reports highlight his push for schools to “promote positive education about the nuclear family” and “the roles of mothers and fathers,” framing gender ideology as a societal threat (NYMag, Feb 18, 2025).

Background and Broader Campaign

This policy builds on Trump’s first-term actions, like banning transgender military service, and his 2024 campaign promises to target “woke” policies. His executive orders also exclude transgender youth from federal health insurance, including TRICARE and Federal Employee Health Benefits, citing concerns about sterilization and regret (JAMA Network, Feb 25, 2022). Critics argue these measures ignore evidence from major medical bodies—the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Medical Association, and others—that gender-affirming care is safe, effective, and medically necessary.

Reactions and Impacts

• Fear and Migration: Some transgender Americans, especially youth and families, are considering leaving the U.S., fearing persecution under Trump’s policies. Posts on X reflect this anxiety, with @TransRightsNow stating, “We’re seeing a brain drain—trans people are planning exits” ([X posts, March 4, 2025]).
• Mental Health Concerns: Studies, like those in JAMA Network Open, show restrictions on gender-affirming care can increase suicide risk among transgender teens, with one report linking bans to a 40% rise in suicidal ideation ([JAMA, Feb 25, 2022]). Advocates warn Trump’s proposals could exacerbate this crisis.

Opposition from Democrats and civil rights groups is fierce, with posts on X criticizing the policies as “a rollback of human rights” ([X posts, March 5, 2025]). Meanwhile, conservative supporters on X praised Trump’s “moral clarity,” with @PatriotVoice calling it a “return to traditional values” ([X posts, March 5, 2025]).

Why It Matters

Trump’s push targets a deeply divisive issue, aligning with his base while alienating progressives. It could reshape U.S. healthcare, education, and military policies, potentially setting a global precedent for restricting transgender rights. The timing—amid Ukraine tensions and NATO shifts—suggests a domestic focus to solidify his support before midterms, but it risks international backlash, especially in Europe, where gender-affirming care is standard.

What’s Next?

Congressional debates on the proposed law will test Republican unity and Democratic resistance, with legal challenges likely from advocacy groups.