US Stops Issuance Of Gender-Neutral ‘X’ Passports Following Trump Executive Order

The United States has stopped issuing passports with the gender-neutral “X” option, the State Department announced, following an executive order by President Donald Trump limiting federal recognition of transgender identities.

The decision reverses a policy introduced during former President Joe Biden’s administration, leaving many applicants uncertain about the status of their pending applications and previously issued passports.

On Monday, Trump signed an executive order requiring federal agencies to classify individuals as either male or female based on biological sex. The State Department confirmed that US passports would now reflect this directive.

“As per the Executive Order, the Department will issue passports reflecting an individual’s biological sex,” a spokesperson stated Friday night. The department also confirmed it had stopped processing applications for the “X” marker and would provide further guidance regarding previously issued passports with the designation.

The gender-neutral “X” marker was first introduced in October 2021 after a legal battle by an intersex individual from Colorado. Routine processing of X passports began in early 2022, but the department has not disclosed how many were issued. A study by UCLA’s Williams Institute estimated over 16,000 applicants annually sought this option.

Trump’s executive order also includes a halt to federal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and policies recognizing transgender identities, sparking outrage among rights groups. Legal challenges are expected.

While some US states allow driver’s licenses with an “X” option, and countries like Australia, Canada, and Germany have similar practices, the federal rollback creates legal uncertainty for those relying on nonbinary documentation.