WASHINGTON, USA — A federal judge has halted the Trump administration’s attempt to impose new ideological restrictions on federally funded teen pregnancy prevention programs, ruling that the policy was politically driven and legally unfounded.
U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell on Tuesday blocked the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from enforcing a July policy requiring grant recipients to align with President Donald Trump’s directives against what he termed “radical indoctrination” and “gender ideology.”
The decision followed a lawsuit filed by three Planned Parenthood affiliates in California, Iowa, and New York, who argued that the administration’s move contradicted Congress’s intent to fund evidence-based approaches to preventing teen pregnancies.
In a strongly worded opinion, Judge Howell, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, criticized the administration’s abrupt policy shift, describing it as “motivated solely by political concerns, devoid of any considered process or analysis, and ignorant of the statutory emphasis on evidence-based programming.”
The blocked policy stemmed from a broader series of executive orders President Trump signed upon returning to the White House, targeting federal diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, as well as efforts supporting LGBTQ+ recognition.
The policy further objected to teaching that “normalizes or promotes sexual activity for minors” and content perceived to endorse same-sex marriage.
Planned Parenthood contended that the directives were vague, inconsistent with grant requirements, and potentially punitive toward organizations offering medically accurate and inclusive sexual education.
“This ruling affirms that public health decisions must be guided by science, not politics,” said a spokesperson for Planned Parenthood, welcoming the court’s decision as a victory for young people’s right to accurate health information.
The injunction affects not only Planned Parenthood but also other grant recipients nationwide, including local health departments, universities, and tribal organizations, that rely on the federal Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program to deliver fact-based sexual education and outreach.
The Department of Health and Human Services declined to comment on the ruling but previously defended the changes, claiming they were necessary to ensure “taxpayer dollars no longer support content that undermines parental rights or promotes radical gender ideology.”
Legal experts say the ruling underscores the judiciary’s role in checking executive overreach, especially when policy changes lack clear legislative or procedural backing.
Judge Howell’s decision effectively restores the original evidence-based framework of the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program, pending any further appeal from the Trump administration.
