Fact Check: On January 30, 2023, President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled 'Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government,' which allowed VA hospital staff to refuse healthcare to veterans based on political affiliation and marital status.

Fact Check: "On January 30, 2023, President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled 'Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government,' which allowed VA hospital staff to refuse healthcare to veterans based on political affiliation and marital status."

What We Know

The claim states that President Donald Trump signed an executive order on January 30, 2023, which purportedly allowed VA hospital staff to refuse healthcare to veterans based on their political affiliation and marital status. However, the executive order titled "Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government" was actually signed on January 20, 2025, not January 30, 2023 (source-1, source-6). The order emphasizes the recognition of biological sex and aims to restrict the application of gender identity in federal policies, but it does not explicitly allow for the refusal of healthcare based on political affiliation or marital status.

The order's content focuses on defining sex in biological terms and enforcing sex-based rights and protections, but it does not mention the refusal of healthcare services based on political beliefs or marital status (source-1, source-4).

Analysis

The claim is factually incorrect on multiple levels. Firstly, the date of the executive order is wrong; it was signed in 2025, not 2023. This discrepancy is critical as it undermines the entire premise of the claim. Secondly, while the executive order does focus on issues related to gender ideology and biological definitions of sex, it does not provide any provisions that would allow VA hospital staff to refuse care based on a veteran's political affiliation or marital status.

The sources that discuss the executive order, including the official White House announcement and various news articles, emphasize its focus on biological definitions and the enforcement of sex-based rights, but do not support the claim that it allows for discrimination in healthcare based on political or marital status (source-1, source-3).

Furthermore, the claim lacks credible sources that would substantiate the assertion regarding healthcare refusal. The executive order's language and intent, as outlined in the available documents, do not support the interpretation that it allows for such discrimination.

Conclusion

The claim that President Donald Trump signed an executive order on January 30, 2023, allowing VA hospital staff to refuse healthcare based on political affiliation and marital status is False. The executive order was signed on January 20, 2025, and does not contain provisions for refusing healthcare based on the criteria mentioned in the claim.

Sources

1. Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism And Restoring Biological ...
2. PDF Memorandum to Heads and Acting Heads of Departments and Agencies ...
3. VA to phase out treatment for gender dysphoria - VA News
4. Removing Gender Ideology and Restoring the EEOC's Role of Protecting ...
5. PDF Presidential Documents - GovInfo
6. Executive Order 14168 - Wikipedia
7. Government webpages about gender disappear after Trump action - NPR
8. Citing Trump's Order, V.A. Halts Most Transgender Care