A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order halting the enforcement of President Donald Trump’s executive order that seeks to restrict gender-affirming care for transgender individuals under 19.

The executive order aimed to withhold federal funding from medical institutions that provide treatments such as:

• Puberty blockers
• Hormone therapy
• Gender-affirming surgeries

Trump’s directive instructed the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to “take all appropriate actions to end the chemical and surgical mutilation of children.” Notably, the order does not restrict these procedures for non-transgender individuals under 19.

However, Judge Brendan A. Hurson ruled against the enforcement of the policy, ordering that:

• Any previously withheld federal funds be immediately released
• All relevant agencies be notified of the restraining order

The court’s ruling is temporary and will remain in place for 14 days.

The judge also blocked part of another Trump executive order, which aimed to prevent federal funds from being used to “promote gender ideology”.

The legal challenge, filed by transgender young adults and families with transgender youth, argues that Trump’s orders violate:

• The Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment
• The Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment
• The First Amendment

This executive order is part of Trump’s broader rollback of transgender rights, which has included:

• Restrictions on transgender participation in the military
• Ending federal legal recognition of transgender identities
• Banning gender marker changes on federal documents

With the restraining order temporarily halting enforcement, the legal battle over transgender rights under the Trump administration is expected to continue in the courts.