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Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Accuses Trump’s DOJ of ‘Reverse-Engineering’ Claims in Gender-Affirming Care Investigation
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The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) has become a focal point in a national controversy after being served a sweeping subpoena by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in June 2025. The subpoena demanded extensive documentation regarding the hospital’s provision of gender-affirming care to minors—including patient medical records, Social Security information, addresses, medical histories, and billing data, as well as all communications related to gender-affirming procedures since January 2020.
The DOJ, led by Attorney General Pam Bondi, issued more than 20 similar subpoenas to hospitals and clinics nationwide as part of what the administration described as investigations into “healthcare fraud, false statements, and more.” Bondi made clear that these actions were part of the Trump administration’s broader campaign to curtail transgender medical care for youth.
In parallel, nine children’s hospitals received letters from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services demanding information on gender-related treatments, applying financial and administrative pressures. The FBI also solicited public tips on hospitals performing gender-related surgeries on minors.
CHOP responded by filing suit in federal court, seeking to quash or limit the DOJ’s subpoena on grounds that it would violate the privacy rights of vulnerable children and their families. The hospital’s legal team argued that the requests for identifying patient information, including details about diagnosis processes and parental consent, posed grave risks to patient safety and confidentiality. The hospital also requested to file documents under seal, noting that public exposure of the case could further endanger its young patients.
Attorneys for CHOP have publicly accused the DOJ of “reverse-engineering” its claims about gender-affirming care, alleging that the government did not fact-check media reports or compare the hospital’s practices with national standards before seeking access to sensitive patient information. According to CHOP’s counsel, the DOJ’s investigation is based on preconceived narratives rather than substantiated evidence, and its approach risks undermining the credibility of medical professionals while eroding the trust of transgender patients seeking care.
The legal battle intensified following President Trump’s signing of Executive Order 14187, “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation,” on January 20, 2025. The order directs federal agencies to investigate and potentially prosecute healthcare providers who administer gender-affirming treatments—including puberty blockers and hormone therapy—to minors. The DOJ memorandum implementing the order cites alleged false statements about the safety and efficacy of these treatments and invokes statutes related to female genital mutilation, despite the lack of evidence connecting gender-affirming care for transgender youth to such practices.
Legal experts and advocates note that no federal law criminalizes the provision of gender-affirming care to transgender adolescents, and federal healthcare programs have historically reimbursed such care as medically necessary. Nevertheless, the administration’s actions have created an atmosphere of fear and intimidation for providers, families, and transgender youth, leading some hospitals to cut back or cease offering gender-affirming services.
The subpoenas have sparked outrage and deep concern among LGBTQ+ advocates, families, and legal experts. Several young patients and their parents have joined CHOP in court, seeking to protect the privacy of their medical records. The records sought by the DOJ include information about patients’ mental, sexual, and reproductive health, as well as personally identifying details such as names and addresses.
Mimi McKenzie, legal director at the Public Interest Law Center, stated, “Patients and their parents have a constitutionally protected right to privacy in these types of records… Releasing these records would pose great harm to patients and their families—particularly given the current social and political climate. The Trump administration is weaponizing the Department of Justice to intimidate health care providers and families and to attack this evidence-based care”.
Medical professionals and LGBTQ+ rights organizations argue that gender-affirming care is widely recognized as medically necessary and often lifesaving for transgender youth, who are at elevated risk for depression, anxiety, and suicide without access to appropriate medical support.
The Trump administration’s actions have been described as creating a “chilling effect,” with providers facing threats to their licenses, livelihoods, and even their liberty. Some hospitals in states where gender-affirming care is legally protected have announced reductions in services for new patients, while others continue to fight for the rights of transgender youth and their families.
The case against the DOJ’s subpoena remains ongoing in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, presided over by Judge Mark A. Kearney. CHOP’s motion seeks to exclude requests for identifiable patient information and to clarify the processes surrounding diagnosis and informed consent. The outcome of this case may set precedent for the privacy rights of transgender youth and the ability of hospitals to provide evidence-based, inclusive care without fear of government retaliation.
National LGBTQ+ organizations and civil rights advocates continue to monitor the situation, warning that the administration’s tactics risk stigmatizing transgender people and deterring families from seeking medically necessary care.
As the case proceeds, CHOP’s stand against what it calls “reverse-engineered” government claims has become a rallying point for defenders of transgender rights and medical privacy, highlighting the broader struggle over the future of gender-affirming healthcare in the United States.
