NYU Langone Health, a major New York City hospital network, has announced the closure of its transgender youth health program for minors, citing the departure of its medical director and the current regulatory environment. The decision comes as the Trump administration intensifies efforts to strip federal funding from providers offering gender-affirming care to young people.
Hospital spokesperson Steve Ritea confirmed the move in a statement, adding that pediatric mental health services will continue. The closure follows an executive order signed by President Trump declaring that the federal government will not support child gender transitions, and a subsequent Department of Health and Human Services proposal to withhold Medicare and Medicaid funding from hospitals providing such care to minors.
New York Attorney General Letitia James had previously directed NYU Langone to resume care after it began cancelling appointments, warning of potential violations of state anti-discrimination laws. A federal judge later blocked the administration's directive with a temporary restraining order, but the hospital pressed ahead with the program's discontinuation.
Local officials and advocacy groups condemned the decision. Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal said it would jeopardise patients' wellbeing, noting that ending care without consent carries significant physical and mental health risks. A rally in support of trans youth is planned outside the Stonewall National Monument.
The White House welcomed the news, with spokesperson Kush Desai stating that President Trump is delivering on his promise to stop what he called unscientific child mutilation procedures. Gender-affirming care is endorsed by major medical associations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, and providers stress that treatments are reversible and surgery for minors is rare.
