Donald Trump recently claimed in a speech to Congress that the U.S. government spent $8 million on making mice transgender. This statement sparked immediate controversy and fact-checking by media outlets. Initially, some news organizations dismissed Trump’s claim as false or misleading.
However, it was later confirmed that the former president was referring to findings from the White Coat Waste Project, a non-profit that criticizes taxpayer-funded animal testing. According to Justin Goodman, a senior vice-president for the group, over $250 million has been spent on transgender animal experiments in the past couple of decades. He revealed that more than two dozen active federal grants, totaling $64 million, currently fund such studies.
Examples of these projects include a $455,000 study at Duke University on how HIV vaccines work in male mice given female hormones, and a $2.5 million project at the University of Michigan investigating the effects of hormone treatment in mice. Critics argue that these expenditures represent government waste and unnecessary animal cruelty.
Trump’s transgender mice funding claim
Elon Musk described the spending as “demented” and likened it to a “horror show.”
However, some scientists defend the research, stating that these studies provide valuable insights into various health conditions. They argue that experiments on mice have significantly advanced our understanding of the impacts of sex hormones. The White House responded to the controversy with a document detailing several National Institutes of Health grants for studies involving mice and gender-related medical questions.
These studies aim to understand how gender-affirming treatments affect bone health, fertility, and cancer risk. While the debate continues, the intersection of politics and science remains contentious. Supporters and skeptics of transgender health care both wield evidence to support their viewpoints.
Ultimately, the findings from these studies could contribute significantly to our understanding of human health, regardless of political leanings. As more results emerge, they may provide valuable insights into the effects of gender-affirming treatments.