In a major legal blow to the Trump administration, a Washington federal judge on Friday issued a second temporary restraining order against President Donald Trump’s executive directive seeking to cut off federal funding for gender-affirming healthcare for individuals under 19.
The ruling by U.S. District Judge Lauren King aligns with legal challenges brought by the attorneys general of Washington, Minnesota, and Oregon, who argue that the order exceeds presidential authority and discriminates against transgender youth.
“This order blatantly discriminates against transgender youth,” Judge King said in her ruling from the bench.
Legal Battle Over Transgender Healthcare Intensifies
This decision follows a similar ruling a day earlier in Maryland, where U.S. District Judge Brendan A. Hurson temporarily blocked the Trump administration from restricting access to gender-affirming medical care. That lawsuit was brought by transgender adolescents, families, and legal advocacy groups, including Lambda Legal, the ACLU, and PFLAG Inc.
Judge Hurson ordered the administration to maintain federal funding for healthcare providers offering transgender care, directly contradicting Trump’s order.
The Department of Justice (DOJ), however, has defended the directive, arguing that Trump acted within his constitutional authority under Article II to direct federal agencies in implementing policy. DOJ attorneys also contended that the executive order does not violate the separation of powers, dismissing the lawsuits as premature since federal agencies had yet to enact the directive.
The Trump administration insists the measure is designed to protect minors, claiming gender-affirming treatments are “potentially dangerous, ineffective, and unproven.”
