Story perspectives

Trump Revives Debunked Claim Schools Send Kids for Surgery

By Drooid · Oct 21, 2026, 3:05 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

U.S. President Donald Trump repeated the false claim that schools send children for gender-affirming surgery without consent.
He revived the claim in October 2026 as Election Day approached.
The story first appeared in late August 2024 and was debunked by CNN in early September.
Trump’s campaign, four conservative groups, a Harvard postdoctoral fellow, and Minnesota officials found no evidence of school-sent surgeries.

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Story summary

U.S. President Donald Trump repeated the false claim that schools send children for gender-affirming surgery without consent.
He revived the claim in October 2026 as Election Day approached.
The story first appeared in late August 2024 and was debunked by CNN in early September.
Trump’s campaign, four conservative groups, a Harvard postdoctoral fellow, and Minnesota officials found no evidence of school-sent surgeries.