Trump's Truth Social Post on Transgender Surgery Sparks Conservative Fury
Former President Donald Trump faced intense backlash from conservative allies on Thursday after posting a message on Truth Social that seemed to approve transgender surgery for minors with parental consent. The controversial entry was part of Trump's promotion of the Save America Act, a legislative proposal that includes voter ID requirements on election day, aimed at addressing unproven claims of widespread fraud by the GOP.
Marjorie Taylor Greene Leads the Outrage
Leading the charge against Trump was former GOP Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, once a staunch supporter turned vocal critic. Greene shared a screenshot of the original post, which read: "NO TRANSGENDER MUTILATION SURGERY FOR CHILDREN, WITHOUT THE EXPRESS WRITTEN APPROVAL OF THE PARENTS." In a fiery rant, she expressed her dismay, writing, "Trump now supports trans gender mutilation surgeries of children if their parents want it!!!!!"
She added, "What is wrong with him??? To do this to a child is absolutely disgusting, wrong, and a complete perversion of God's creation AND NOW THE PRESIDENT SAYS ITS OK AS LONG AS THESE SICK PARENTS AGREE!!!" Greene's post included a reference to her own bill, the Protect Children's Innocence Act, which seeks to make it a felony to perform transgender procedures on individuals under 18.
Right-Wing Voices Join the Criticism
Right-wing podcaster Matt Walsh also weighed in, arguing that the issue extends beyond parental consent. He stated, "'No trans surgery for children without parental consent' is meaningless. The consent of the parents is not the issue. The issue is that the procedure is barbaric and insane, no matter if parents agree to it or not."
Post Edited Amid Backlash
Following the uproar, the Truth Social item was later revised to simply state: "NO TRANSGENDER MUTILATION SURGERY FOR CHILDREN." However, Greene insisted that the original wording was intentional and only changed due to significant pressure. She claimed, "Don't be stupid and think that it was a mistake or a staffer. He was forced to change it bc we all made him. Just like we forced him on the Epstein files."
Historical Context and Trump's Stance
Greene's assertion may hold some weight, as Trump has previously expressed similar views. In a 2024 interview with Bloomberg, he remarked, "We don't want transgender operations without parental consent. It is 99.9% common sense. It really is common sense." This aligns with broader GOP efforts, which reportedly spent $222 million on messaging against transgenderism and the LGBTQ+ community during the 2024 election cycle. In his second term, Trump has implemented various measures impacting the LGBTQ+ community.
The White House has not yet responded to requests for comment from HuffPost, leaving the controversy unresolved as debates over transgender rights and parental roles continue to simmer in political discourse.
