Judge Blocks RFK's Plan to Cut Gender-Affirming Care Funding

A federal judge said he will bar a move by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to cut federal funding to hospitals that provide gender-transition care for minors. The ruling provides temporary relief for 21 states that sought to stop the Trump administration from ending that funding. The judge's decision prevents an immediate policy change that would have reshaped healthcare access for transgender youth across the country.

Twenty-one states filed suit to block the funding cuts, arguing the administration lacked authority to redirect federal money away from hospitals offering gender-affirming services. The judge's statement that he will bar the move represents a legal victory for those states in their effort to preserve existing healthcare options. The ruling does not resolve the underlying case but signals how a court may ultimately decide the dispute.

The blocked policy would have affected hospitals receiving federal funds for treating transgender minors. By preventing the funding cuts, the court ruling maintains current payment streams to medical facilities providing these services. Healthcare access for transgender youth remains available through institutions that currently receive federal support, at least pending further legal proceedings.