In a sweeping new directive, the U.S. Department of Education informed employees late Friday that it will terminate all programs, contracts, and policies that “fail to affirm the reality of biological sex,” escalating the Trump administration’s continued assault on transgender rights. This announcement follows a series of executive orders aimed at dismantling protections for transgender individuals in schools and across federal agencies.
The internal email, obtained by ProPublica and sent from “ED Internal Communications,” outlines a broad review and termination of departmental policies, programs, and even employee resource groups that promote what it refers to as “gender ideology.” The directive is part of President Donald Trump’s effort to restrict transgender rights and impose policies that deny the existence of transgender identities in federal government operations and educational institutions.
A Chilling Silence on What’s Next for Transgender Students
The language of the email is deliberately vague, leaving department employees and advocates unsure which programs or policies will be affected. However, it is clear that services supporting transgender students—such as school-based mental health resources and programs assisting homeless LGBTQ+ youth—are in the crosshairs.
“These corrective measures will include a thorough review and subsequent termination of departmental programs, contracts, policies, outward-facing media, regulations, and internal practices,” the email states.
A spokesperson for the Education Department declined to comment, leaving the transgender community and their allies to speculate on the devastating impact these sweeping changes could have on vulnerable students.
Erasing Transgender Identity Across Federal Agencies
This announcement is the latest in a series of aggressive moves by the Trump administration to curtail transgender rights. Earlier this week, President Trump signed two executive orders that further stripped transgender individuals of federal protections. The first, titled Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government, ordered agencies to remove any references to transgender people from federal documents, rules, and policies.
As a result, the Department of Education has already taken steps to remove resources that once guided schools in supporting LGBTQ+ youth. The second order, Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports, bars transgender women from participating in women’s sports in schools.
The department has launched investigations into two universities and an athletic association for alleged violations of Title IX, signaling a new era of enforcement targeting transgender athletes. The NCAA swiftly responded by banning transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports if they were assigned male at birth.
Internal Crackdown on Employee Resource Groups
The directive also impacts employees within the Department of Education. In an echo of earlier federal orders, staff have been instructed to remove preferred pronouns from email signatures. Additionally, employee resource groups that “promote gender ideology” are now banned from meeting on government property or during work hours.
It remains unclear which groups the directive is targeting, but this move sends a clear message: the department no longer supports the existence of spaces for transgender employees or allies to discuss issues of inclusion and belonging.
Mounting Authoritarian Tactics
The Trump administration’s actions have sparked outrage and concern, particularly after members of Congress were denied entry into the Department of Education building on Friday. Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) shared a video on social media showing armed federal officers blocking access to the building, a move that critics are calling unprecedented and authoritarian.
“We aren’t dangerous. We are here to represent our people and defend public education,” Frost said in a video posted on Bluesky. “This is an authoritarian regime. You cannot block members of Congress from entering the Department of Education.”
The video shows Frost standing in front of a sign labeled “All Access Entrance,” only to be met with locked doors and armed guards.
“And right here they have armed officers acting like we’re dangerous,” Frost added. “A year ago, I could walk into this building without being locked out. This is what they’re doing.”
The Human Cost of Erasure
For transgender students and their families, the implications of these directives are deeply personal and profoundly unsettling. Policies that remove mental health services, eliminate protections for transgender athletes, and bar transgender-affirming resource groups create an environment of exclusion and harm.
“This isn’t just about policy. It’s about lives,” said a transgender rights advocate who wished to remain anonymous. “Transgender students already face significant mental health challenges due to stigma and discrimination. These policies are stripping away their last sources of support and validation.”
The Bottom Line
With Linda McMahon, the former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, awaiting confirmation as the new Secretary of Education, the future of the Department of Education is uncertain. McMahon has been an outspoken critic of transgender rights in schools and is expected to continue implementing President Trump’s vision of reducing the department’s influence—or dismantling it entirely.
For many in the transgender community, this is a time to remain vigilant and united. As the attacks on transgender rights intensify, it is critical to continue advocating for vulnerable students and holding policymakers accountable for their actions.
The stakes are high, and the need for empathy, understanding, and solidarity has never been greater.
