U.S. Justice Department Demands Clinics Hand Over Full Data on Transgender Teenagers

The Trump administration is rapidly expanding its campaign against gender-affirming care: hospitals are coming under investigation, benefits for federal employees and their families are being cut, and new restrictions are appearing even in “blue” states.

These measures could place clinics in direct conflict with federal pressure and state laws protecting medical confidentiality—or even force doctors to violate their own states’ regulations. For transgender people, their families, and the medical professionals providing such care, an atmosphere of fear is taking hold. "Since this month we’ve really seen an escalation," notes Kellan Baker, senior health adviser at the Movement Advancement Project. "It feels like a sprint—to inflict as much damage as possible in the shortest time, before the political consequences catch up."

Recently disclosed court filings showed that the Justice Department demanded that children’s hospitals hand over full records of transgender patients under 19 treated since 2020—including Social Security numbers. Lawyers warn that such requests run directly into conflict with HIPAA, the law guaranteeing the confidentiality of medical information. "It’s an attempt to test the limits of what’s possible," says Don Bell, an attorney at the Project on Government Oversight.

At the same time, the Office of Personnel Management removed most gender-affirming care from health insurance for federal employees, leaving only psychotherapy and parts of hormone therapy. The Department of Health and Human Services stripped California of its annual $5.8 million grant for refusing to eliminate references to “gender ideology” from its prevention program. The White House insists that “protecting biology, ending child castration, and defending women’s sports” have been priorities since the first day of Trump’s second term.

Medical institutions and states are pushing back. The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia has asked a court not to compel it to hand over patient records and parental consent forms to the Justice Department. Sixteen states where care for transgender minors is permitted have filed a joint lawsuit against the federal government, accusing it of pressuring doctors and forcing them to violate anti-discrimination standards.

Yet federal funding levers are already reshaping practice even where such services remain legal. Major medical centers in Los Angeles, Washington, and Pittsburgh have begun scaling back care. The medical community, however, stresses that gender-affirming treatment is recognized as safe and effective by leading organizations, including the American Medical Association. Puberty blockers are also used to treat children without gender dysphoria, surgeries on minors are extremely rare, and a recent University of Utah analysis confirmed the effectiveness of hormone therapy for mental health.

Meanwhile, the administration is advancing new restrictions: the Federal Trade Commission is reviewing clinics’ claims for misleading information, and a forthcoming Medicaid rule may prohibit the use of federal funds to cover gender-affirming care for minors.