Judge Blocks Trump’s Order Denying Federal Funding For Trans Surgeries
A federal judge has officially blocked President Donald Trump’s directive that would have cut off federal funds to medical facilities offering transgender surgeries to minors.
U.S. District Judge Brendan Hurson, who was appointed by President Biden and serves in Maryland, instructed the defendants to file a compliance update with the court no later than March 11, explaining how they plan to adhere to the ruling.
The case was brought in February by advocacy organizations including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Lambda Legal, along with other groups. They are representing families and young people connected to PFLAG National, a nonprofit that supports LGBTQ individuals’ friends and families. According to NBC News, the plaintiffs contended that Trump’s order interfered with their ability to receive necessary medical treatments.
The executive order in question barred federally funded clinics and hospitals from performing transgender surgeries or providing related care to anyone under the age of 19.
In February, Judge Hurson issued a temporary block on the order, which allowed healthcare providers who had halted these services to resume treating patients under the protection of the court’s order.
In his ruling on Tuesday, Hurson noted that the plaintiffs effectively demonstrated that the obstacles they experienced were directly tied to losing access to what medical experts deem “essential care.” He warned that this loss could result in “potentially catastrophic” consequences.
“Specifically, the sudden denial or interruption of Plaintiffs’ medical care has caused or is expected to soon cause unwanted physical changes, depression, increased anxiety, heightened gender dysphoria, severe distress, risk of suicide, uncertainty about how to obtain medical care, impediments to maintaining a social life, and fear of discrimination, including hate crimes,” the judge wrote.
Lawyers for the Trump administration opposed the request for court intervention, arguing in legal documents that the plaintiffs’ claims involved “hypothetical downstream action that may or may not result from” the executive order. The administration also maintained that any harm the plaintiffs experienced would be “incidental” and dependent on how individual medical providers chose to respond.
As noted by NBC News, Judge Hurson’s preliminary injunction will stand until the court reaches a final decision in the case.
Just last month, Vice President JD Vance issued a new warning aimed at what he called “rogue” federal judges, accusing them of exceeding their authority by wrongfully obstructing Trump’s ability to execute his presidential duties.
The judiciary has repeatedly thrown roadblocks in Trump’s path, blocking his efforts to eliminate birthright citizenship, suspend certain federal grant programs, and restructure multiple federal agencies. Most recently, the administration took another hit when a judge placed a temporary restriction on Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), preventing it from accessing sensitive Treasury Department data tied to millions of Americans’ financial records.
Vance, defending the administration’s stance, compared the situation to judicial overreach in other branches: “If a judge tried to tell a general how to conduct a military operation, that would be illegal. If a judge tried to command the attorney general in how to use her discretion as a prosecutor, that’s also illegal. Judges aren’t allowed to control the executive’s legitimate power.”
When reporters asked Trump about Vance’s statements and the ongoing legal challenges, the president didn’t hold back.
“When a president can’t look for fraud and waste and abuse, we don’t have a country anymore,” Trump said. “So, we’re very disappointed, but with the judges that would make such a ruling. But we have a long way to go.”
“No judge should, frankly, be allowed to make that kind of a decision,” Trump added. “It’s a disgrace.”
Support for Trump from within the Republican Party remains strong. Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton condemned the judge who restricted DOGE’s Treasury access, labeling him an “outlaw.”
Meanwhile, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan largely backed Musk’s actions during a CNN interview, insisting that Musk was simply “carrying out the will” of the president who appointed him.
Trump escalated his criticism during a follow-up press briefing in the Oval Office, standing beside DOGE chief Musk. Trump declared, “Maybe we have to look at the judges because I think that’s a very serious violation.”