It’s not just kids: Trump’s crackdown on trans healthcare extends into adulthood

U.S. newsIt’s not just kids: Trump’s crackdown on trans healthcare extends into adulthoodConservatives have long argued they want to end transition care for minors, but federal policies have increasingly limited adult access. More restrictions are on the way.Since President Donald Trump re-entered office, his administration has taken several steps to dismantle trans health care for adults.Justine Goode / NBC News; Getty ImagesShareAdd NBC News to GoogleMay 26, 2026, 6:02 AM EDTBy Jo YurcabaAn 18-year-old transgender college student tried to refill her estrogen prescription at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago. She was told she needed to wait until her 19th birthday.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.In Texas, a 37-year-old U.S. Army veteran regularly went to a Department of Veterans Affairs hospital for gender-affirming care, including therapy, wigs and prosthetics. Staff suddenly cut the services.And in Colorado, a 37-year-old scientist for the federal government planned to undergo transition surgery. She discovered her insurance would no longer cover it.A decade ago, these denials wouldn’t have been allowed. The federal government widely supported access to transition care.That changed last year when the Trump administration began issuing sweeping directives across the government banning or limiting treatments for people with gender dysphoria, which is the distress felt from a mismatch between birth sex and gender identity.Those who back restrictions on transition care — including conservatives such as President Donald Trump — say they are focused on protecting trans youth who can’t consent to or understand the long-term effects of treatments like puberty blockers, hormone therapy and surgeries.But the administration’s actions and the resulting impacts have been far broader, blocking thousands of adults — including veterans, longtime government employees and older teens — from getting healthcare they...