Full Breakdown
Trump Claims Hospitals Performing “Reverse Surgery” on Transgender Patients – Fact Check
8/25/2026, 9:51:24 PM
The Claim at a Campaign Rally
During a rally for U.S. The statement was made in early August 2025, ahead of the August 11 Republican primary runoff in South Carolina. No evidence was presented that any hospital had been directed to perform such procedures.
Policy Background
- January 2025 executive order – targeted gender-affirming care for people under 19, directing federal agencies to withhold funding for puberty blockers, hormones, or surgeries.
- Medicaid rule – the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services finalized a rule that will take effect on October 13 and will end federal payments for gender-affirming care for minors, allowing a six-month transition period for patients already on hormones.
- Federal prison policy – a February directive from the Bureau of Prisons barred new hormone prescriptions and surgeries for incarcerated transgender individuals. On June 17, U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth issued a preliminary injunction, requiring the bureau to continue providing existing gender-affirming medications and accommodations.
- Hospital settlements – Texas Children’s Hospital and the Cleveland Clinic entered agreements with the Justice Department to fund “restorative care” for people who voluntarily seek detransition services. Neither settlement required hospitals to perform “reverse surgeries,” and both parties described the arrangements as voluntary.
Data on Transgender-Related Surgery in Minors
A 2024 JAMA Network Open study of insurance claims for nearly 23 million minors found:
- No gender-affirming surgeries among children 12 or younger in 2019.
- Incidence of 0.1 per 100,000 for ages 13-14 and 2.1 per 100,000 for ages 15-17.
- 85 procedures identified among minors, 82 of which were chest-related.
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons recommends delaying gender-related surgery until age 19, and major medical societies continue to support individualized, evidence-based care.
Official Statements & Responses
- President Trump framed the claim as evidence that hospitals were complying with his order.
- Adrian Shanker, former deputy assistant secretary for health policy at HHS, called the remarks “wild” and said medical decisions belong between patients, families, and providers.
- Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, chief medical officer at Callen-Lorde, emphasized that clinical care is not directed by non-clinicians.
- Dr. Annie Andrews, a pediatrician, clarified she does not support gender-affirming surgery for anyone under 18 and advocates for care decided among physicians, parents, and patients.
- Judge Lamberth described the prison policy as “arbitrary and capricious,” noting the bureau failed to consider its own decade-long experience providing gender-affirming care.
Criticism & Opposition
Health-policy experts and clinicians highlighted the disconnect between Trump’s claim and existing regulations. Shanker warned that “hospitals really should not be agreeing to such nonsense,” while Dr. Streed cautioned that abrupt hormone withdrawal can cause serious health risks. The settlements were portrayed by the institutions as survival strategies amid investigations, not admissions of wrongdoing.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Trump’s assertion that hospitals are performing “reverse surgery” at his order contrasts with policies that *restrict* funding for gender-affirming care and do not compel any surgical procedure.
- Settlement agreements with two major hospitals are sometimes interpreted as mandates for “reverse surgery,” yet the documents explicitly state participation is voluntary.
- Statistical evidence shows extremely low rates of gender-affirming surgery among minors, undermining the implication of widespread “reverse” procedures.
What’s Next
- The Medicaid rule will become effective on October 13, potentially altering federal funding for gender-affirming treatments for minors.
- Ongoing litigation concerning the prison policy and the broader executive order may produce further judicial rulings.
- Monitoring of hospital settlement compliance will continue, with no current legal requirement for “reverse surgeries” to be performed.
