Trump Warns 'Transgender' Issues Will 'Never End' If Democrats Win Congress

Donald Trump has warned that 'transgender' issues will 'never end' if Republicans lose ground in the 2026 midterm elections, while urging voters to treat the congressional vote as if he were personally on the ballot.

Trump made the remarks during a 30 August interview with former Republican congressman Trey Gowdy, now a Fox News host, as he argued that a Republican victory was necessary to prevent what he described as 'crazy things' from happening.

The comments came as Trump sought to rally Republican voters ahead of the midterms, where control of Congress will be contested. He argued that Republicans perform better when his name appears on the ballot and encouraged supporters to 'pretend I'm on the ballot' when they vote in 2026.

Trump Links Midterms To 'Transgender' Issues

'I think we're gonna do very well,' Trump told Gowdy. 'I'm gonna take a lot of time, and I'm going to help people get elected, if I can.'

Trump said his presence on the ballot had historically helped Republican turnout, arguing that voters were less likely to participate when he was absent.

'I see it all the time, that when Trump's on the ballot, they win,' he said. 'When he's not on the ballot, the people don't go to vote, and I'm asking the people ... to get out and vote. Pretend I'm on the ballot.'

He then turned to what he said could happen if voters did not deliver a Republican victory.

'Our country's going to be in sad shape, because we're gonna go through a lot of things,' Trump said. 'You're going to have the taxes raised, you're gonna have crazy things happening like the men in women's sports will never end. None of this- Transgender will never end.'

The wording is significant because Trump did not explicitly say that transgender people themselves would 'end'. His comment came while discussing transgender participation in sports and other political issues, leaving it unclear exactly what he meant by 'transgender will never end'.

Gowdy did not ask Trump to clarify the remark before the interview moved on.

Trump nevertheless presented the midterms as a choice between continuing his administration's policies and a return to what he portrayed as Democratic priorities. He ended the discussion by predicting a Republican victory.

'We've done a great job; we're the most respected country right now in the world; we're more respected than we ever were, and I think people wanna keep it that way, so I think we're gonna win.'

Administration Targets Transgender Policies

Trump's remarks come after his second administration adopted several policies affecting transgender people.

On his first day back in office, Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to recognise sex as male or female and to remove policies and communications that his administration characterised as promoting 'gender ideology'. He also moved to restrict transgender people from serving in the military.

Another executive order targeted transgender participation in women's and girls' sports, directing the federal government to pursue policies opposing the participation of transgender females in female sporting categories.

The source article also reports that federal investigative offices under Trump's control have been used in disputes involving hospitals, school districts and other institutions over transgender rights and gender-affirming care. Claims about the administration's motives should be distinguished from the documented actions themselves.

Trump's latest language echoes remarks he made before taking office. At AmericaFest in December 2024, he promised to end what he called 'transgender lunacy' and said that under his administration the official policy of the US government would recognise two genders, male and female.

The issue has also featured prominently among conservative politicians and commentators. Right-wing commentator Michael Knowles previously called for transgender people to be eradicated, while later insisting that he meant eliminating the concept 'ontologically' rather than harming transgender people.

Trump's August remarks stop short of explaining what he believes should happen to transgender people themselves. Instead, they place transgender-related issues within his argument about Republican control of Congress and the policies he wants voters to preserve.

For transgender Americans, however, the political stakes extend beyond Trump's campaign rhetoric, as his administration has already pursued changes to federal policy affecting recognition, military service, education and sport.