President Donald Trump said Tuesday that his administration is moving to end federal Medicaid funding for gender-transition procedures for minors, calling the treatments "barbaric" and saying taxpayers should not be required to finance them.
According to Fox News, Trump said he directed Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, to stop Medicaid funding for the procedures.
"We are not going to pay for our innocent children to undergo these barbaric surgeries and practices, which result in unthinkable and irreversible harm to their young bodies," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The announcement follows action by CMS to implement a rule blocking federal Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program funding for gender-affirming medical care for children and adolescents.
The rule covers puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and surgeries. CMS said the treatments can carry risks including infertility, impaired sexual function, reduced bone density and other lasting effects.
CMS said the new policy is scheduled to take effect Oct. 13. Mental health services are not affected by the rule.
Oz defended the decision, saying federal health programs should not finance treatments when officials believe the evidence of long-term benefits is insufficient.
"Children deserve our protection, not experimental interventions that pose serious risks and convey no proven benefits," Oz said.
The policy follows a review by the Department of Health and Human Services of research from the United States and other countries.
HHS said its review identified gaps in the evidence and safety concerns surrounding medical interventions for minors.
Officials also cited the United Kingdom's Cass Review, a major examination of gender-related medical care for children completed in 2024.
The review found that research surrounding puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones remained limited and that medical practices had advanced faster than the evidence supporting them.
HHS Press Secretary Emily Hilliard said the administration wants federal health funding directed toward treatments supported by stronger evidence.
The policy comes as states continue to take different approaches to gender-affirming care for minors, with 27 states having enacted restrictions on such care.
Republican lawmakers have pushed for tighter limits, while Democrats and LGBTQ advocates have argued that restrictions interfere with medical care for Transgender minors.
Trump also used his announcement to criticize Democrats over the issue ahead of the November midterm elections. He argued that the new policy would prevent taxpayers from financing treatments he believes can cause permanent harm to children.