Supreme Court Blocks Trump Ban on Transgender Prisoner Care

The Supreme Court of the United States ruled Wednesday that the Trump administration must continue providing hormone therapy and other gender-affirming care to transgender federal prisoners. In a 7-2 decision, the court denied an emergency application to lift a lower court injunction, ensuring a block remains on a Bureau of Prisons policy while litigation proceeds.

The contested policy, initiated by a January 2025 executive order from President Donald Trump, would have restricted treatment for gender dysphoria to psychological therapy. It sought to ban hormone treatments, sex-trait modification surgeries, and social accommodations such as wigs and makeup.

U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth previously blocked the policy, stating the administration failed to provide evidence that previous care was ineffective or posed security risks. While the Trump administration argues these treatments are inappropriate, the American Civil Liberties Union and plaintiffs maintain the care is medically necessary. Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented, siding with the administration's position.