The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will no longer offer gender-affirming medical treatment to transgender former service members, the department announced Monday, citing an executive order President Trump signed on his first day back in office.

Steven L. Lieberman, the department’s acting undersecretary for health, wrote in a March 14 memo first reported by NPR that the VA would rescind a 2018 directive outlining “the respectful delivery of health care to transgender and intersex Veterans.”

The 2018 policy protected access to treatments like hormone therapy and pre- and post-operative care for gender-affirming surgery, though the VA has never offered transition-related surgeries. The policy also allowed trans veterans to use restrooms and be assigned rooms in VA facilities that match their gender identity and required staff to use their chosen names and pronouns.

In a news release on Monday, the VA said it was reversing the policy to comply with Trump’s Jan. 20 executive order proclaiming that the U.S. government recognizes only two sexes, male and female, and preventing........

© The Hill