Unearthed Docs Undermine Claims of Harm from Trump Order Blocking Trans Surgeries for Minors

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A conservative legal group, America First Legal (AFL), has been filing records requests with states that sued to block President Trump's executive order banning sex changes for minors. The requests aim to find out whether the harm being alleged in the lawsuit is actually happening. Documents obtained from Connecticut's health department suggest there is little evidence of the harm claimed in the multi-state lawsuit against Trump's order.

Why it matters

The lawsuit against Trump's executive order argues the directive has 'immediately' jeopardized federal funding and disrupted public health systems. However, the documents obtained by AFL indicate Connecticut was not financially impacted by the order, raising questions about the validity of the claims in the lawsuit.

The details

AFL filed records requests to state health departments in an attempt to find evidence supporting the claims made in the lawsuit against Trump's executive order. Connecticut was one of the few states that provided responsive records, which included an email from a state health official stating they did not see any impact to federal health funding related to the order. This contradicts the lawsuit's assertions about immediate harm caused by the directive.

• Trump's Executive Order 14187 banning transgender surgeries for minors was issued in 2026.
• The multi-state lawsuit challenging the order was filed on August 1, 2026.
• A nationwide preliminary injunction halting Trump's executive order was issued just a few months after it came down.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The judge presiding over the multi-state lawsuit against Trump's executive order will need to determine if the plaintiffs have established legal standing to challenge the directive, given the lack of evidence of actual harm presented so far.