Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) delivered a scathing critique of a federal judge’s ruling on former President Donald Trump’s transgender military ban, calling the decision “stupid” and “100% wrong.” Hawley’s remarks came as the Trump administration reaffirmed its commitment to restoring biological truth and common sense in federal policies, including the military and women’s sports.
During an interview on Thursday, Hawley lambasted the judge’s interpretation of the law, arguing that it misrepresented legal protections for transgender individuals.
“From a legal perspective, having looked at the things she was saying in open court, she’s getting the law wrong,” Hawley said. “She talks about how the law affords special protections for transgender folks. That is just not true. They are not a special class of persons in our law.”
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Hawley also took aim at what he called “gender insanity,” emphasizing the importance of biological reality. “There are only two genders. Let’s just tell the truth. There are only two,” he said. “President Trump is saying we’re going to restore sanity to the military and women’s sports. We’re going to start keeping biological men out of women’s spaces. That is music to the ears of every reasonable American.”
Hawley’s comments coincided with a major policy shift announced by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Wednesday. The agency released official guidance defining sex as an immutable biological classification of male or female, aligning with President Trump’s executive orders aimed at defending women and children.
The guidance, issued under Executive Order 14168 — Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government — clarifies that HHS will recognize only two sexes: male and female. This marks a stark departure from previous policies that acknowledged gender identity beyond biological sex.
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“This administration is bringing back common sense and restoring biological truth to the federal government,” said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. in a statement. “The prior administration’s policy of trying to engineer gender ideology into every aspect of public life is over.”
The HHS guidance defines key terms, including:
- Sex: A person’s immutable biological classification as either male or female.
- Female: A person of the sex characterized by a reproductive system with the biological function of producing eggs (ova).
- Male: A person of the sex characterized by a reproductive system with the biological function of producing sperm.
- Woman: An adult human female.
- Man: An adult human male.
- Girl: A minor human female.
- Boy: A minor human male.
- Mother: A female parent.
- Father: A male parent.
The announcement also highlighted efforts to protect children from what the administration termed “chemical and surgical mutilation,” as directed by President Trump’s Executive Order 14187. Additionally, HHS reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing policies that keep men out of women’s sports, as outlined in Executive Order 14201.
Riley Gaines, a prominent advocate for women’s sports, praised the administration’s actions in a video released alongside the guidance.
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“The executive order Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports ensures the next generation of girls has a fair opportunity to compete with the safety, privacy, and equal opportunity they’re entitled to,” Gaines said. “The clarity and decisiveness of the Trump administration sends a strong, clear message to women and girls across the country that we matter.”
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