Name: Supreme Court Allows Trump to Block Passport Sex Markers for Transgender Americans
Uploaded: 2025-11-07T05:49:55.000Z
Description: The decision lifts a lower court's order that had blocked the policy requiring passports to correspond only to a person's sex assigned at birth.

Sean Marshall is a reporter based at NTD's global headquarters in New York City, primarily covering business and technology trends. 

Sean Marshall

NTD Plus

News

Breaking news and in-depth analysis from the United States and beyond. We bring you the latest updates, exclusive insights, and sharp discussions on the most pressing issues. NTD Newsroom airs Monday–Friday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. ET.

NTD Newsroom

Taxpayers Going to Red States: IRS Migration Data

Andrew Thomas is a reporter for NTD News primarily covering business, the economy, and technology. 

Andrew Thomas

Pentagon Touts Cruise Missile Framework Agreement Amid Acquisition Overhaul

NTD Newsroom comprises teams of reporters, editors, and producers assigned to cover breaking news and other stories.


How Wildfire Smoke Spreads Long-Distance & How to Stay Safe

Don Ma is an anchor and senior business correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Don is the anchor and producer of NTD's "Business Matters," which airs weekdays at 4:30 pm ET.

Don Ma

Iran Can’t Win by Force, but Aims to Win by ‘Narrative Manipulation’: Middle East Affairs Analyst

Screening Service Members for Testosterone Will Increase Tactical Advantage: Air Force Veteran

Russia Is ‘Feeling the Pinch’ Over Ukraine’s Attacks on Oil Refineries: Foreign Policy Analyst

Former Alabama AG Says He’s ‘Optimistic’ Todd Blanche Will Become Attorney General

NTD+ is a streaming platform featuring exclusive programming, investigative news analysis, and award-winning documentaries.


NTD+

Iran 'Better Behave' During Negotiations, Trump Warns

Iran’s ‘Severely Degraded’ Missile Capacity Will Run out in ‘Months’: Former US Army Battalion Commander

Judge Awards Damages to Americans Jailed in Venezuela

NTD Newsroom Full Broadcast (July 17)

NTD Newsroom Full Broadcast (July 16)

NTD Newsroom Full Broadcast (July 15)

NTD Newsroom Full Broadcast (July 14)

NTD Newsroom Full Broadcast (July 13)

NTD Newsroom Full Broadcast (July 10)

NTD Newsroom Full Broadcast (July 9)

NTD Newsroom Full Broadcast (July 8)

NTD Newsroom Full Broadcast (July 7)

NTD Newsroom Full Broadcast (July 6)

Tom Gantert is a reporter for The Epoch Times.

Tom Gantert

Melina Wisecup is NTD's congressional correspondent based in Washington, covering Capitol Hill and campaign politics.

Melina Wisecup

US News

Politics

Executive Branch

Trump Uses Recent Speeches to Warn Americans of Resurging Communism

Shorts

Alleged Reflecting Pool Vandalism Caught on Video

News you can trust from the U.S. and around the world. Critical information and insight. We cover the stories that others don’t. NTD News Today airs Monday–Friday at 11 a.m. ET.

NTD News Today

Iran's Football Team Leaves Note of Friendship

Melanie is a reporter and editor covering world news. She has a background in environmental research.

Melanie Sun

State News

California

California Governor, LA Mayor Declare Emergency Over Warehouse Fire

The Associated Press is an American not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. 

The Associated Press

Sen. Lindsey Graham Likely Died After Aorta Tear, Medical Examiner Says

Jack Phillips is a breaking news reporter with 15 years experience who started as a local New York City reporter. Having joined The Epoch Times' news team in 2009, Jack was born and raised near Modesto in California's Central Valley. 

Jack Phillips

World News

Middle East

UN Maritime Group to Rescue 11,000 Sailors Stranded in Middle East

Joseph Lord is a congressional reporter for The Epoch Times.


Joseph Lord

Congress

House Passes Legislation to Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent

Mary Man is a writer for NTD. She has traveled around the world covering China, international news, and arts and culture.

Mary Man

China News

China Floods: Thousands at Risk After Multiple Dams Collapse in Guangxi

Los Angeles Warehouse Fire Prompts Shelter-in-Place Orders

Aldgra Fredly is a freelance writer covering U.S. and Asia Pacific news for The Epoch Times.

Aldgra Fredly

Arleen Richards is NTD's legal correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City, where she covers all major legal stories. Arleen holds a Doctor of Law (J.D.).


Arleen Richards

Gabbard Releases Documents on Fauci’s Alleged Role in Wuhan Lab Research Linked to COVID

Rachel Acenas is an experienced journalist and TV news reporter and anchor covering breaking stories and contributing original news content for NTD's digital team.

Rachel Acenas

The nation's highest court has allowed the Trump administration to block passport holders from choosing sex markers that align with gender identity.

In a <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/25a319_i4dj.pdf">decision on Thursday</a>, the Supreme Court said the policy doesn't appear to discriminate against transgender people.

“Displaying passport holders’ sex at birth no more offends equal protection principles than displaying their country of birth,” it said. “In both cases, the Government is merely attesting to a historical fact without subjecting anyone to differential treatment.”

The Supreme Court has a 6–3 conservative majority. Its three liberal justices dissented from the decision.

The decision lifts a lower court's order that had blocked the policy requiring passports to correspond only to a person's sex assigned at birth.

It also allows the Trump administration to enforce the policy while the lawsuit plays out in court.

The lawsuit was launched by a nationwide class of passport seekers affected by the policy. The plaintiffs claimed that having sex markers on official documents that differ from their gender identities exposes them to harassment and mistreatment.

In April, Boston-based U.S. District Judge Julia Kobick found that the Trump administration policy likely discriminates based on sex and is rooted in "irrational prejudice" toward transgender Americans. The policy violated their equal protection rights under the Fifth Amendment, the judge said.

In June, the judge blocked Trump’s policy from being enforced.

The policy reverses a decades-long practice under the U.S. State Department. Since 1992, it has allowed passport sex designations to differ from sex assigned at birth with medical documentation.

In 2021 during Joe Biden’s presidency, the agency allowed Americans to select a male or female sex marker without documentation, and further added a third option, "X" for nonbinary, intersex, and gender non-conforming passport applicants.

According to Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, transgender and nonbinary people who sued over Trump’s policy have reported being strip-searched, sexually assaulted, and accused of presenting fake documents at airport security checks.

“This Court has once again paved the way for the immediate infliction of injury without adequate (or, really, any) justification,” <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/25a319_i4dj.pdf">she wrote in her dissent</a>, saying the policy stemmed directly from Trump’s executive order that described transgender identity as “false” and “corrosive.”

The administration’s efforts to eliminate transgender sex markers align with a series of executive orders Trump signed after he took office in his second term, including the president’s Jan. 20 directive called <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/defending-women-from-gender-ideology-extremism-and-restoring-biological-truth-to-the-federal-government/">Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government. </a>

<em>The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.</em>

Latest

Videos

Breaking News

04_Top Stories

Latest Clips

Management

03_Featured

Courts

Latest and breaking news, documentaries, movies, and lifestyle content on NTD+.
 
Empower your knowledge and elevate your spirit with NTD+, your go-to destination for truthful news, insightful documentaries, and captivating lifestyle content that enriches your life.

Supreme Court Allows Trump to Block Passport Sex Markers for Transgender Americans

Cary Dunst is the news anchor for NTD Evening News. He is also the co-host of NTD Good Morning.


Cary Dunst

Stefania Cox is an NTD News anchor and national correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Stefania anchors "NTD Newsroom," and co-anchors "NTD News Today" weekdays at 10:00 am ET.

Stefania Cox

Special Coverage

[LIVE July 23 at 11:30 AM ET] 2026 Rally and March to End the Persecution of Falun Dafa

NTD News Today Full Broadcast (July 17)

We present news that is truthful and based on facts, outside of the political fog. Instead of focusing on the negative things happening around us, our mission is to give our viewers a good morning with empathetic and uplifting stories. Our aim is to provide an antidote to negativity by shining a light on the best side of people. We speak to inspiring people who positively impact communities, pursue topics that represent our common human values, and will never miss an opportunity to bring you heartwarming stories.

NTD Good Morning

NTD Good Morning Full Broadcast (July 17)

News with integrity, from the United States and around the world. Focused reports and analyses that shed light on major issues the world deserves to know. NTD Evening News airs daily at 6 p.m. ET.

NTD Evening News

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (July 16)

Tiffany Meier is an anchor, China news investigative reporter, and producer for NTD News based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Tiffany anchors NTD's flagship shows "NTD Evening News" and "China in Focus" and co-moderates NTD's special election coverage "The Nation Decides." She produced the award-winning NTD Original documentary "Hollywood Takeover: China's Control in the Film Industry."


Tiffany Meier

NTD Special Coverage: Trump Addresses the Nation

NTD News Today Full Broadcast (July 16)

NTD Good Morning Full Broadcast (July 16)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (July 15)

NTD News Today Full Broadcast (July 15)

NTD Good Morning Full Broadcast (July 15)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (July 14)

Kevin Hogan is an NTD News data reporter and national correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Kevin covers breaking news, as well as U.S. and global current events. He conveys the news through data visualizations and investigates pressing issues.

Kevin Hogan

NTD News Today Full Broadcast (July 14)

NTD Good Morning Full Broadcast (July 14)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (July 13)

NTD News Today Full Broadcast (July 13)

NTD Good Morning Full Broadcast (July 13)

Chris Beers is an NTD News anchor and political correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Chris co-anchors "NTD News Today" weekdays at 10:00 am ET.