Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a policy change that would stop federal funding for gender-affirming surgeries and restrict taxpayer support for doctors who perform them. According to NPR, RFK Jr. said the decision is rooted in his concerns about patient safety and what he calls a lack of credible evidence on long-term outcomes. (NPR)
“We are not going to waste taxpayer dollars on procedures that are unsafe,” RFK Jr. said Thursday at a public event. “These surgeries have not been proven safe in the long run, and the federal government should not be complicit in harming patients.” (NPR)
Under the latest health executive order, the Department of Health and Human Services would no longer fund federal health programs that pay for gender-affirming surgeries. That includes Medicare, Medicaid, and other federally supported health plans. RFK Jr. said doctors who perform these procedures could be excluded from participating in federal programs.
🚨 BREAKING: RFK Jr announced he’s signed a directive BANNING transgender surgeries for minors nationwide
“So-called gender-affirming care has inflicted lasting physical and psychological damage on vulnerable young people. This is not medicine—it is MALPRACTICE”
“We’re DONE… pic.twitter.com/IosfZ0qVMR
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) December 18, 2025
RFK Jr.’s latest “bold idea” that “these are not cosmetic surgeries” but serious operations that require rigorous safety data. “I’m not against people seeking care,” he said, “but we must insist on evidence and safety for all procedures paid for by taxpayers.”
He also said that doctors who push these surgeries despite what he described as insufficient evidence are engaging in malpractice. “If a doctor is doing something that’s not sufficiently proven, that is malpractice, and they should be held accountable,” RFK Jr. said, per New York Post.
The policy shift represents a major change from previous federal stances, which allowed gender-affirming care under broader disability and anti-discrimination protections. RFK Jr. argued that protecting patients from unsafe medical practices takes precedence. “We cannot simply assume a procedure is safe without data,” he said, “and we will not fund it with public money.”
“This is a disgrace to the medical profession.”
RFK Jr. slams a reporter who questions HHS’s science behind banning gender-affirming care in minors.
“We have a 1,300 page report, I urge you to read it.”
“I don’t think anybody can read that science without saying we made a huge… pic.twitter.com/pdY9OvL0CN
— End Tribalism in Politics (@EndTribalism) December 18, 2025
In defending the new rules, RFK Jr. said the government should prioritize treatments with solid evidence of benefit. “Every taxpayer dollar should go toward care that is proven to help and proven to be safe,” he said. “That’s common sense.”
Advocates for transgender health care argue that gender-affirming surgeries are medically necessary for many patients and supported by leading medical groups, but RFK Jr. focused on his safety concerns in his remarks. “We owe it to every American to make sure their care is backed by evidence,” he said.
RFK Jr. also said that federal funding should instead support research into long-term outcomes and safety. “Let’s study these procedures thoroughly and find out what’s truly best for patients,” he said.
New Research: Experiences of trans women who have undergone gender affirmation surgery: a constructivist grounded theory https://t.co/F8tH6r4E3T #FrontiersIn #Sociology
— Frontiers – Sociology (@FrontSociology) May 2, 2025
The administration’s announcement quickly drew attention from both supporters and critics, with some applauding the focus on safety and others arguing the policy could reduce access to care for transgender people. RFK Jr. responded by reiterating his core point: “Nothing about this is ideological. It is about evidence and safety.”
And nobody can argue with that. By making the ban about safety, RFK Jr. is attempting to dodge a political storm that could very easily ensue. But if blocking gender-affirming surgery is really about putting a patient’s health first, then researchers need to gather evidence to make such choices a valid option.
