Supreme Court Blocks Trump Administration's Effort to Restrict Transgender Prison Treatment

The Supreme Court on Wednesday denied an emergency request from the Trump administration to immediately reinstate restrictions on gender-affirming care for inmates in federal prisons. The court's action effectively keeps a lower court's block on the policy in place while legal challenges proceed.

The administration had asked the high court to grant a stay on a ruling that prevented the restrictions from taking effect. The Supreme Court rejected the petition without providing an explanation, a common practice for emergency applications.

Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas were the only justices who would have granted the administration's request for a stay. The court typically does not offer reasoning for decisions on its motions docket to avoid prejudicing cases that may eventually be considered on their merits.

The Trump administration has had a generally high success rate with emergency petitions before the Supreme Court since the beginning of the administration. This particular decision marks a setback for the administration's policy on transgender inmate care.