The Trump administration has unveiled a new whistleblower portal, branded by critics as a “snitch line,” enabling individuals to report instances of transgender minors receiving gender-affirming care. The action comes as part of the administration’s enforcement of the executive order titled Protecting Children From Chemical and Surgical Mutilation.
In a coordinated move this week, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) launched the reporting platform and opened an investigation into a “major paediatric teaching hospital.” The investigation centres on allegations that a nurse was terminated after requesting a religious exemption to abstain from administering puberty blockers and hormones to minors.
Although unnamed in the HHS announcement, the nurse in question is widely believed to be Vanessa Sivadge, formerly of Texas Children’s Hospital. Sivadge recently testified before Congress, claiming she was dismissed due to her objections to providing gender-affirming treatments based on religious beliefs.
The new tip line was made public on Monday, accompanied by online guidance for whistleblowers.
“You have three options to report a tip or complaint related to the chemical and surgical mutilation of children or whistleblower retaliation,” the guidance reads, directing individuals to include identifying details of those allegedly in breach of the order.
“Please reference EO 14187 in your complaint,” the notice adds, referencing the executive order in question.
Despite being blocked by several federal judges through temporary restraining orders, the Trump administration continues to use the directive to clamp down on medical professionals and hospitals offering gender-affirming care.
U.S. District Judge Lauren King, presiding in the Western District of Washington, ruled that the order violates constitutional protections, stating it “treats people differently based on sex or transgender status.” Multiple legal challenges remain ongoing.
The HHS investigation highlights the administration’s use of long-standing federal anti-abortion legislation—specifically the Church Amendments—to defend healthcare workers who refuse to participate in gender-affirming care on religious grounds. The amendments allow for refusals based on “religious beliefs or moral convictions respecting sterilisation procedures.”
The executive order describes gender-affirming care in terms such as “maiming and sterilising,” rhetoric that has drawn sharp criticism from medical experts and LGBTQ+ advocates alike.
In a related development, the Department of Justice in January dropped charges against Dr. Eithan Haim, a Texas-based surgeon who had previously leaked confidential information about minors receiving gender-affirming care at Texas Children’s Hospital—the same institution where Sivadge was employed. The information was shared with right-wing media outlets.
Haim had been accused of violating HIPAA laws “with intent to cause malicious harm,” but he maintained that he was acting as a whistleblower.
The Trump administration’s characterisation of gender-affirming care as “mutilation” stands in direct contrast to the positions of major medical bodies, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association, and the Endocrine Society. All of these organisations support evidence-based gender-affirming care as a critical component of healthcare for transgender youth.
