Taking to Truth Social on Tuesday (January 31), former President Donald Trump vowed to punish doctors providing gender-affirming health care to minors if he wins the Presidency in 2024.
Trump’s statements mark a concerted effort to wade into a contentious debate that has captured the attention of state and federal lawmakers.
In the nearly four-minute video in which Trump talks directly to the camera, the former President asserted there was a need to “protect children from left-wing gender insanity.”
Alongside his comments, Trump unveiled a slate of policy proposals targeting transgender individuals.
The policies included implementing federal recognition for only two genders and barring transgender women from competing in women’s sports.
He claimed being transgender is a “radical concept” developed “just a few years ago,” while emphasizing, “no serious country should be telling its children that they were born with the wrong gender,” adding, “under my leadership, this madness will end.”
The former President also explained that if he is reelected, he would instruct federal agencies to end any programs promoting the gender transition “at any age” concept.
Trump also promised he would prevent federal tax dollars from being spent on gender-affirming interventions and would pass a law barring minors from receiving such interventions “in all 50 states.”
Trump, who announced his reelection bid on November 15, 2022, revealed he would instruct the Department of Justice to investigate pharmaceutical companies and individual hospitals to ascertain if they have covered up any “horrific long-term side effects of sex transitions.”
Trump also vowed to boot doctors who treated transgender youth from Medicare and Medicaid.
