Seattle Judge Blocks Trump’s Order on Gender-Affirming Care Funding

A federal judge in Seattle, U.S. District Judge Lauren King, has issued a preliminary injunction blocking President Donald Trump's executive order that aimed to halt federal funding for gender-affirming care for transgender youth in Washington, Oregon, and Minnesota. The ruling, which follows a temporary restraining order, asserts that Trump's executive orders violate the Fifth Amendment's equal protection guarantee and intrude on congressional authority over federal funding. Judge King emphasized that the injunction is not about the policy goals of the Trump administration but about maintaining constitutional checks and balances. The injunction does not apply nationwide and also does not block a specific provision regarding federal law enforcement against female genital mutilation. Washington Attorney General Nick Brown criticized Trump's orders as intentionally disregarding the Constitution, affirming the role of states and courts in upholding the rule of law. Similar legal challenges have emerged in other jurisdictions, indicating a growing pushback against the executive orders targeting transgender rights.