Trump Says Hospitals Are Reversing Trans Surgeries “At My Order”

Misleading or not, Trump’s claim about hospitals reversing trans surgeries “at my order” clashes with legal and medical reality.

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At a campaign rally in Myrtle Beach, Donald Trump falsely claimed that “hospitals now are doing reverse surgery at my directive,” even though no evidence shows U.S. hospitals are routinely performing such procedures because of any presidential directive. Available evidence cuts the other way: presidents don’t issue bedside medical orders, and hospitals don’t carry them out as if they were treatment plans.

Health policy experts, hospital leaders, and physicians have all described Trump’s phrasing as inaccurate or misleading. They point to basic legal limits and clinical autonomy. Federal executive actions can shape incentives by threatening or conditioning funding, revising regulations, or directing agencies to enforce existing law. But those tools don’t authorize a president to command a surgeon to operate on a specific patient, let alone to perform so-called “reverse” surgery.

The empirical record also undercuts the broader premise behind the claim. A 2024 JAMA Network Open study of insurance claims found zero gender-affirming surgeries for children aged 12 or younger in 2019. That doesn’t support the idea that U.S. hospitals are commonly performing surgeries on young children and then undoing them because of a White House order.

Officials have cited policy levers such as CMS rule changes, Justice Department settlements, and funding restrictions to influence institutional practices. Yet those actions rely on financial or legal pressure, not direct clinical commands. Even when the federal government negotiates settlements or threatens reimbursement, it still doesn’t mandate that individual patients undergo any particular procedure.

Profile Author / Editor / Publisher

Dora Saparow: Dora Kay Saparow came out in a conservative Nebraskan town where she faced both misunderstanding and acceptance during her transition. Seeking specialized support, she moved to a big city, where she could access the medical, legal, and social resources necessary for her journey. Now, fourteen years later, Dora is fully transitioned, happily married, and well-integrated into society. Her story underscores the importance of time, resources, and community support, offering hope and encouragement to others pursuing their authentic selves.