Claim:
Children have undergone gender-affirming surgeries inside U.S. schools.
For this issue, rating should not be assigned until further investigations.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump made this false claim during an August 2024 event held with conservative organization Moms for Liberty. No evidence exists to demonstrate school performing any surgeries without parental permission; CNN reported afterwards that Moms for Liberty co-founder Tiffany Justice (who spoke with Donald at this event) stated in response: “Are kids getting surgery at school? No.” Justice further elaborated by sharing via email their concerns over schools providing social transition support for children.
On August 30th 2024, former U.S. President Donald Trump met with Tiffany Justice of Moms for Liberty to have a discussion. Trump made claims during that discussion regarding children who received gender-affirming surgeries within schools without their parents knowing about it.
Justice raised this topic first by noting the rise in transgender children identifying themselves and teaching others they were born into the wrong body, an extremely harmful message being communicated to these kids. We could discuss some ways president Donald Trump might assist.”
Trump responded that one could do anything as the President has so much power and influence over everything that takes place on our nation’s soil.
Moments later, he added “But transgender matters are truly amazing. Consider your kid going off to school one day and coming home a few days later with an operation recommended by his/her school; fifteen years later many of these children may say something like, ‘WTF happened? Who made me this way?” It’s incredible.”
Readers may watch these remarks unfold via this YouTube video from LiveNOW from Fox starting around 38:11:
Moms for Liberty of Alabama State: Are Kids Receiving Surgery at School? No They’re Not.’ CNN extensively covered Trump’s claim and others during their debate discussion, including interviews with medical experts who disproved of any surgeries being secretly carried out inside schools.
Dr. Meredithe McNamara of Yale School of Medicine’s pediatrics specialising in adolescent medicine told CNN, “Of course everything in this statement is false. When reached by email and asked whether she had ever seen evidence of one such surgery taking place inside an American school she replied in no uncertain terms, “No I absolutely have not.”
CNN reported in its reporting, Justice responded to their correspondence by noting, among other things, “are children receiving surgery in school?” CNN further reported that Trump’s campaign provided no proof of such activity taking place within schools.
Snopes has also reached out to professionals working within pediatrics and on Trump’s campaign; unfortunately we have received no reply so far.
Moms for Liberty responded quickly by email, with several statements. One in particular took issue with CNN for not including part of Moms for Liberty’s correspondence that detailed five court cases where schools assisted students “socially transitioning” between genders in schools – none involved surgery being performed inside schools themselves.
Trump and Justice Conspire to Imply Olympic Athletes Are Male
Donald Trump’s claims regarding surgeries taking place within schools weren’t the only misleading parts of this discussion.
Trump made similar false remarks about surgeries in schools as part of his ongoing false rhetoric about transgendered individuals in boxing competition, specifically Algerian female boxer Imane Khelif and Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting who won gold medals at the 2024 Paris Olympic. We previously reported on both athletes; Khelif was assigned female at birth, meaning she has always lived life as female, while Yahoo Sports reported the same about Lin.
Justice misinformedly questioned the genders of two athletes by repeatedly using “he”. She then responded to Trump with comments such as, ‘I am a mom; therefore I must protect my kids.
As background reading, we previously reported about an inaccurate rumor claiming 2024 Democratic VP nominee Tim Walz of Minnesota had signed legislation allowing gender reassignment surgery on children within his state. According to sources, however, such legislation never existed and never signed by Tim Walz himself.
Moms for Liberty.org/about/, Baker Katie J M “When Students Switch Gender Identity Without Informing Parents”, The New York Times 22 Jan 2023; https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/22/us/gender-identity-students-parents “Boxer Lin Yu-Ting Claims Gold Medal at Olympic Tournament Filled With Criticism.” Associated Press (10 Aug 2024). Available online: https://apnews.com/article/2024-olympics-boxing-lin-khelif-2e2561ca.Dale, Daniel “Fact Check: Donald Trump Falsely Claim Schools Are Sending Children for Gender-Affirming Surgeries | CNN Politics.” CNN, 4 September 2024. Available at https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/04/politics/donald-trump-fact-check-children-gender-affirming-surgery/index.html. “FULL REMARKS: Trump Attends Moms for Liberty 2024 Summit.” YouTube LiveNOW from FOX on 30 August 2024 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86clTu93p50 “Imane Khelif’s Olympic Gold Inspires Algerian Girls to Take Up Boxing. ” “International Olympic Committee Is Saddened By Abuses of Two Boxers Over Gender.” ESPN reports on abuse aimed at two boxers from Paris at the 2024 Olympic Games: IOC is saddened at any allegations about them regarding gender. Spoofrak Alex writes “Olympic Boxer Imane Khelif Is Neither Trans Nor Male.” Snopes.com published it 6 August 2024 – http://snopes.com/2024/805 Imane-khelif-not-trans/Leicester John also supports these accounts of truthiness about Olympian boxer Imane Khelif being considered trans.Leicester writes: “International Olympic Committee Calls Tests That Sparked Controversy Against Boxers Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-Ting Impossibly Flawed.” Associated Press News Service on Aug 4, 2024 https://apnews.com/article/2024-imane-khelif-lin-yuting-boxing-13e9529195585404c7b03c96f97dd634Rascouset-Paz, Anna “Walz Did Not Sign Bill Permitting Gender Reassignment Surgery for Children.’,” Snopes.com (August 12 2024). Also see The Associated Press story entitled: Moms for Liberty Fully Support Trump and Widen Role in National Politics as Election Nears”. KNSI Radio (September 3, 2024). Moms for Liberty Fully Accepts Donald Trump And Widen Role In National Politics As Election Approaches/ Mount Sinai Health System can be reached online at:https://www.mountsinai.org/locations/center-transgender-medicine-surgery/care/surgery and Wetzel, Dan. “Lin Yu-Ting Wins Olympic Gold in Women’s 57kg Final.” Yahoo Sports (August 10, 2024). See for example “Lin Yu-Ting, Engaged in Gender Controvesy Wins Olympic Gold Medal In Womens Final-194703156.html”. Wetzel Dan Wetzel Dan’s “Weatzel Dan. “Lin Yu-Ting,” Wetzel Dan (We). “Lin Yu Ting Boxer Wins Olympic Gold in Womens Final.” Wessel, Dan.”Wetzel Dan’s article about Lin Yu Ting Won Olympic Gold medal.”Weatzel Dan We have previously explored his articles published within Yahoo sports pages 13 August 2024 https://sports.yahoo.com.” Weitzeld by Boxers.” Weitzzel Dan’s article of August 20, 2024 https://sports.yahoo com – Lin Yu Ting wins Olympic Gold In 57kg Women’s Final,” Weitzener Dan. Weitzeld.” Yahoo Sports (ten August 10, 2024), https://sports!Yes-2024_yu_Ting Boxer Enthus_en”Winning 194703156_Wed, Weitzl– https://sports…Wed_Wed 17813.156_Wei. Wed Zedzel Dan, 10 August 10, 2024 www yahoo YEd com………..Wed_Wed_Wed_Winning-194703156_ Boxer Wins_embroiled_Embark1956] Wend 17-2024….] https sports…com_18851356_196471_Boxing_193…]… 194.73156_Wind19483156_w-ting _1941756_195_195488_198565_7803156_______ 194…….2084864…….We_19503156_19641596……20_19_19_1956_19_191703156_19__19_1986863156_19_19_191……19_1903156_19651 56_1946821 19473156_19_19_566 19493156_654656_19 194503156_19_ _683156_1951956-194151 19 _1920 20 24″.195156_199_19_19_19_199…19._195619_ 194.7356_ 192703156_1964._19485 “Win_1958”,1915_WIN
