Federal Judge Rules RFK Jr Overstepped Authority on Gender-Affirming Treatments
In a significant legal setback for the Trump administration, a federal judge has ruled that Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr exceeded his statutory authority when he issued a declaration labelling gender-affirming medical treatments as unsafe. The ruling, delivered by Judge Mustafa Kasubhai in a Eugene, Oregon courtroom, represents a major blow to governmental efforts to restrict access to transition-related healthcare.
Procedural Violations Found in December Declaration
Judge Kasubhai determined that Kennedy failed to follow established administrative procedures before publishing his controversial 12-page declaration in December 2025. The document had specifically targeted puberty blockers, hormone therapies, and surgical interventions for minors experiencing gender dysphoria, warning that physicians providing such care risked exclusion from federal healthcare programs including Medicare and Medicaid.
The judicial decision grants immediate relief to medical providers offering these treatments and rejects government motions to dismiss the lawsuit, which was initiated by a coalition of twenty-one states alongside Washington DC. The plaintiffs had argued that Kennedy's declaration contained both factual inaccuracies and legal deficiencies.
Democratic Officials Hail Ruling as Healthcare Victory
New York Attorney General Letitia James, who spearheaded the multi-state legal challenge, celebrated the outcome as a crucial clarification for vulnerable populations. "Today's victory cuts through the political rhetoric and delivers essential certainty to patients, their families, and healthcare professionals," James stated. "Gender-affirming care for transgender youth remains legally protected, and federal authorities cannot lawfully threaten or penalize the clinicians who deliver these vital services."
Following an extensive six-hour hearing, Judge Kasubhai emphasized that Kennedy's approach disregarded fundamental governance principles. According to reports from the New York Times, the judge remarked that "the idea of issuing a declaration first and assessing compliance later contradicts the foundational commitment to our democratic republic, which demands unwavering respect for the rule of law."
Second Judicial Rebuke for Kennedy This Week
This ruling marks the second judicial reversal for Kennedy and the Department of Health and Human Services within days. Earlier in the week, a separate federal judge in Boston temporarily halted several of the health secretary's proposed modifications to national vaccine policies, indicating broader legal challenges to the administration's healthcare directives.
The ongoing litigation underscores deepening conflicts between state authorities and federal health policy under the Trump administration, particularly regarding LGBTQ+ healthcare rights and medical autonomy. Legal analysts suggest this decision may establish important precedents limiting executive overreach in healthcare regulation without proper procedural adherence.
