A U.S. District Court in Oregon temporarily halted a December declaration by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on March 19, dealing a setback to the Trump administration’s efforts to protect minors from puberty blockers and hormone therapy. Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul — a Democrat — led a coalition of 20 other largely left-leaning states in the legal challenge.
“The federal government should be respecting people’s freedoms,” Kaul said. “Secretary Kennedy shouldn’t be attempting to stop patients from making their own medical decisions, and he certainly shouldn’t be overstepping his authority to try to do so.”
The Trump administration is expected to appeal. (RELATED: Rebecca Cooke Fundraises With ‘Sanctuary City Architect’ Rahm Emanuel Amid Immigration Controversy)
What Kennedy’s Order Was Designed to Do
Kennedy’s declaration flagged puberty blockers and cross-sex hormone therapy for minors as unsafe and ineffective, arguing the treatments fail to meet legitimate medical standards of care. It put hospitals and doctors on notice that providing such treatments could jeopardize their federal funding.
The declaration drew on a May report by the Trump administration raising serious concerns about the long-term risks of hormone therapy and surgical intervention for children experiencing gender dysphoria — concerns echoed by an increasing number of European nations that have begun restricting or banning such treatments for minors.
Even the American Society of Plastic Surgeons shifted its stance in February, recommending gender-affirming surgeries be delayed until patients turn 19.
Wisconsin Hospitals Had Already Paused Treatments
The ruling’s practical impact remains to be seen. Wisconsin’s two largest pediatric hospitals — Children’s Wisconsin and UW Health — had already paused puberty blockers and hormone therapy for minors following Kennedy’s declaration. Neither hospital immediately responded to requests for comment on whether they would resume treatments.
The Broader Battle
Democrat-led states argued Kennedy overstepped his authority and bypassed proper regulatory procedures. Katie Keith of Georgetown University’s Center for Health Policy and the Law called it “a hugely important victory for the states that stood up for this care.”
Critics of the ruling, however, point out that several European countries — including Sweden, Finland, and the UK — have moved in the opposite direction, restricting youth gender treatments amid concerns over long-term harms and insufficient evidence of benefit. (RELATED: Trump’s Education Department Investigates Wisconsin School District Over Transgender Bathroom Policy)
The Trump administration has separately proposed federal rules that would block Medicaid funding for transgender procedures on minors. Those rules are still in the public comment phase and have not been finalized. A final resolution is likely to require action from higher courts — or Congress.
