A4TE Issues Statement on Trump Day-One Executive Orders

[Washington, D.C.] – Last night, mere hours after being sworn in as the 47th President of the United States, Donald Trump signed dozens of executive orders, with several targeting the trans community and conflicting with federal law.  
 
A4TE Executive Director, Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen, released the following statement: 
 
“We see these executive orders for what they are—an attempt by hateful extremists to make it impossible for us to participate in public life. From our jobs, schools, and healthcare, to access to public facilities, sports, and justice for incarcerated people, the Trump administration wants to deny the existence of trans, nonbinary, and intersex people –and make life harder for people who are just trying to live our lives.  
 
“Trans, nonbinary, and intersex people are living proudly all across the country, and there is nothing that Donald Trump can do to change that. In his last term, the Trump administration attempted to scrub even the mention of trans people from government websites and federal law, but we refused to be erased. Trans people are understandably angry and anxious, but we have always been here. We are not going anywhere, and we are ready for the fight ahead.  

“Trump and his cronies want to reach into our lives and define what makes a person man or woman enough. We’ve already seen the harmful effects of attempts to rigidly police everyone’s gender –which hurts all women and girls, both cis and trans. Forcing people to conform to sex-based stereotypes only drags us backward. We refuse to return to the time in American life when trans people were forced to hide, and when archaic ideas about who you’re allowed to be were used to hurt everyone.  

“To be clear, these executive orders do not change the law. The role of the executive branch of government is to enforce the laws of this country, and that means the president must follow our Constitution just like everybody else. The government has no business interfering in our healthcare, and we are watchful for further threats to our most basic values of privacy and control over our own bodies. 
 
“Trump signed an executive order last night that repeals the Biden-era policy that permits open military service by trans people, leaving thousands of trans service members facing uncertainty about their future. Although the executive order does not impose a new ban, the Trump administration is expected to continue attacking the ability of trans people in the military to do their jobs. We honor trans active duty servicemembers and veterans for their service, and we stand ready to fight with them. 
 
“Many of these executive orders require a complicated process to be implemented, so they cannot go into effect immediately, but our attorneys and policy analysts will be monitoring these executive orders closely for their impact on our community. We will use every resource at our disposal, from Capitol Hill to the courts, to hold the line against these attacks.” 

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About A4TE 

Advocates for Trans Equality (A4TE) is an organization that fights for the legal and political rights of transgender people in the United States. Introduced in July 2024 after the Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund and the National Center for Transgender Equality merged, A4TE is the largest trans-led advocacy organization in the U.S. and brings together experts, advocates, and communities to shift government and society toward an equitable future where trans people live joyful lives without barriers.