By: Paul Goldberg, Senior Editor | JRL CHARTS – LGBT Politics USA
LAS VEGAS, NV — (June 19, 2025) — In a move that has shocked LGBTQ+ advocates and public health experts, the Trump administration has ordered the termination of the national LGBTQ youth suicide hotline within 30 days—effectively dismantling the government’s only dedicated lifeline for queer and trans youth in crisis.
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which has offered a dedicated “Press 3” option for LGBTQ youth since 2022, will permanently retire that feature on July 17, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Officials say the decision aims to “serve all help seekers” without “siloing” services—while notably removing the letter ‘T’ from LGBTQ+ in their official announcement.
Originally funded under a Trump-era mental health initiative, the “Press 3” line was built in partnership with The Trevor Project and later expanded to a national subnetwork of seven crisis centers that provided culturally competent care to LGBTQ people under 25.
“The administration’s decision to remove a bipartisan, evidence-based service that has effectively supported a high-risk group of young people through their darkest moments is incomprehensible,” said Jaymes Black, CEO of The Trevor Project.¹
SAMHSA insists that youth will still receive care through the general 988 lifeline, but LGBTQ+ advocates argue the unique training and expertise of Press 3 counselors cannot be replaced by general operators.
“Suicide prevention is about people, not politics,” Black added. “The fact that this news comes halfway through Pride Month is callous. And the deliberate erasure of the ‘T’ from their language? That’s not accidental—it’s targeted.”¹
The decision coincides with the administration’s proposed FY2026 budget, which formally eliminates funding for the youth-specialized lifeline program.³
When pressed for clarification, Rachel Cauley, spokesperson for the White House Office of Management and Budget, said the government should not be “granting taxpayer money to a chat service where children are encouraged to embrace radical gender ideology… without consent or knowledge of their parents.”³
That phrase—“radical gender ideology”—has become a familiar talking point among anti-LGBTQ lawmakers, used primarily to target transgender people.⁴
Despite the federal rollback, The Trevor Project has confirmed that its own crisis services will remain fully operational and accessible 24/7. “You are worthy, you are loved, and you belong,” said Black. “We’re not going anywhere.”¹
Footnotes
¹ The Trevor Project, “LGBTQ Youth Mental Health Survey 2024”, reports that 41% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered suicide in the past year.
² SAMHSA, Press Release, June 18, 2025: Announcement of structural changes to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
³ White House Office of Management and Budget, Budget Justification Summary, FY 2026 – Line item removal of LGBTQ Youth Subnetwork funding.
⁴ Human Rights Campaign, “The State of Emergency for LGBTQ+ Americans” (2025), citing growing anti-LGBTQ legislation across 22 U.S. states.
⁵ NBC News, Coverage of Trevor Project CEO response to hotline termination, June 18, 2025.
Stay tuned for breaking developments in LGBTQ healthcare and crisis support policy at JRL CHARTS LGBT Politics USA.
