President Trump’s Controversial First Nine Days: Mass Federal Buyout Offer and Restrictions on Transgender Healthcare
President Donald Trump’s first nine days in office were marked by a flurry of executive orders, two of which have sparked significant controversy. On Tuesday, January 27th, 2025, millions of federal employees received an email offering a “dignified, fair departure” with full pay and benefits through September 2025, in exchange for their resignation by February 6th. This buyout, however, excluded military personnel, U.S. Postal Service employees, immigration enforcement and national security personnel, and other unspecified roles. Those accepting the offer could continue working remotely. Those choosing to remain were required to return to in-person, five-day workweeks and were expected to be “reliable, loyal, and trustworthy” employees. The email warned of potential future job losses and cautioned that the administration anticipated some agencies would shrink while others expanded. This offer was immediately met with criticism, including from Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), who publicly stated the president lacked the authority to make such an offer. The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), representing 800,000 federal workers, urged members not to act hastily and warned of potentially disastrous consequences for the public.
Later that same day, President Trump issued an executive order aiming to severely restrict healthcare options for transgender children and adults under 19. This action followed a Monday ban on openly transgender individuals serving in the armed forces and an inaugural night declaration recognizing only two genders. The new order prohibits government funding or support for gender transition procedures for minors, defining “child” as anyone under 19, despite the legal age of adulthood being 18 in most states. The order mandates that federal health agencies withdraw research grants from institutions providing hormone therapy or gender transition surgery to those under 19, and it directs the Attorney General to pursue legislation allowing lawsuits against medical professionals who provide such care. Furthermore, the order ensures that Medicare, Medicaid, and federal employee insurance will not cover these treatments for individuals under 19, though a ban on such coverage for the children of service members was already in place via the latest defense authorization bill. The executive order, titled “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation,” also commissions a review of best practices for children with gender dysphoria, explicitly dismissing guidance from the World Professional Association for Transgender Health as “junk science.” The order additionally instructs the Department of Justice to prioritize investigations into female genital mutilation. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services, will oversee the implementation of this order.
Last updated 3:15 p.m., Jan. 29, 2025
by Ashley Murray, Minnesota Reformer
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