Attorney General Clark Joins Lawsuit Against Trump Administration’s Unlawful Attacks on Gender-Affirming Care

Attorney General Charity Clark today announced that Vermont has joined an ongoing lawsuit brought by a coalition of attorneys general and one governor against the Trump Administration over its attacks on access to gender-affirming health care for transgender and nonbinary youth. Today, a federal court approved an amended complaint adding the State of Vermont and the Commonwealth of Virginia as plaintiffs in the lawsuit originally filed in August 2025.

The lawsuit challenges federal actions - including President Trump's Executive Order 14187 and a memo from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) - targeting providers of medically necessary gender-affirming care for individuals under the age of 19, even in states like Vermont where such care is legal and protected. The attorneys general contend that these actions violate the Constitution, exceed the government's statutory authority, and run afoul of the Administrative Procedure Act. They are asking the court to declare the executive orders and associated DOJ directives illegal.

"Over the past year, the federal government has escalated its campaign of harassment against those providing critical, evidence-based health care to our most vulnerable youth," said Attorney General Clark. "I joined this lawsuit to make sure that Vermont remains a safe place where all kids are treated with dignity and get the support they need."

Federal attempts to block gender-affirming care in states where it is legally protected is a blatant assault on state sovereignty in violation of the Tenth Amendment. The attorneys general assert in their complaint that the administration's actions put providers in an impossible position: either comply with unlawful federal threats or violate state laws that require nondiscriminatory access to medical care.

Attorney General Clark has joined the attorneys general of California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia, as well as the governor of Pennsylvania, in this lawsuit.

This lawsuit is the 54thcase Attorney General Clark has brought against the Trump Administration since President Trump took office in January 2025. For more information on actions taken by the Attorney General on behalf of Vermonters, visit our website .

Contact: Lauren Jandl, Chief of Staff, 802-828-3171