Trump’s Misleading Claims on Transgender Research and Anti-LGBTQ+ Rhetoric Draw Criticism

During his lengthy address to Congress on Tuesday, President Donald Trump made a striking claim: that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) had uncovered $8 million in spending under the Biden administration for “making mice transgender.” The statement, like many from Trump’s speech, was riddled with inaccuracies and distortions.

The $8 million figure appears to be a mishmash of unrelated medical research projects, many involving transgenic mice—genetically altered mice used to study human diseases. These studies, which have been crucial for medical advancements, were misrepresented by the Trump administration as wasteful spending on “woke” experiments. For example, one study examined how hormones influence asthma prevalence in women, while another analyzed breast cancer risks for transgender individuals. None of the research involved “making mice transgender.”

This misleading claim is part of a broader pattern of anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric from Trump, who used his speech to tout executive orders restricting transgender rights in the military, sports, and government documentation. He declared, “We are getting wokeness out of our schools, out of our military, and out of our society,” framing his policies as a victory over progressive ideals.

However, these policies have real consequences. LGBTQ+ advocacy groups like The Trevor Project have reported a surge in crisis contacts from transgender youth, including a 700% increase the day after Trump’s election. GLAAD and Lambda Legal condemned Trump’s remarks, calling them “baseless and unhinged disinformation” and an “assault on decades of civil rights progress.”

Trump also highlighted two guests with anti-transgender ties: Payton McNabb, who opposes transgender participation in sports, and January Littlejohn, who sued a school district over her child’s social transition. Both were presented as symbols of his anti-LGBTQ+ agenda, further fueling division and misinformation.

As Trump continues to push anti-transgender policies, advocates warn of the harm they cause to an already marginalized community. His misleading claims about medical research and relentless attacks on LGBTQ+ rights underscore a broader strategy of using fear and misinformation to rally his base, even at the expense of vulnerable populations.