During a recent campaign rally in South Carolina, D*nald Tr*mp introduced a perplexing new talking point regarding medical care, as Alex Bollinger reported for LGBTQ Nation. While speaking on behalf of Republican Senate candidate Darline Graham Nordone, Trump claimed that hospitals are now performing “reverse surgery” on transgender people specifically at his command.
The remarks targeted Democratic candidate Dr. Annie Andrews, whom Trump accused of supporting “transgender for everybody.” However, it remains entirely unclear what policy or medical procedure the former president was referencing with his claim about mandated reverse surgeries. While recent Department of Justice settlements have involved funding for detransition care at specific clinics in Texas and Ohio, those agreements were not initiated by a presidential order*
The comments arrive as Graham Nordone makes opposition to transgender rights a cornerstone of her campaign, recently pivoting to the topic of transgender athletes after facing foreign policy questions during a primary debate. The continued reliance on anti-transgender rhetoric highlights a broader political strategy of using marginalized groups to energize a voting base.
To read the full breakdown of the rally, the specific quotes, and the political context surrounding these claims, read Alex Bollinger’s original reporting at https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2026/08/confused-claims-hospitals-now-perform-reverse-surgery-on-trans-people-at-my-order/.
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