988 Relaunch Controversy
Administration Plans 988 LGBTQ+ Hotline Relaunch, Sparking Concern Over Trevor Project Exclusion
The Trump administration plans to relaunch the "Press 3" LGBTQ+ youth option on the 988 crisis hotline by the end of 2026 — but The Trevor Project, the nonprofit that built and ran the service, may be shut out, according to AP News. Congress forced the move by directing $33.1 million toward LGBTQ+-specific youth crisis services in the FY2026 budget.
The specialized line was cut in July 2025 after SAMHSA, the federal mental health agency, said funding had run out and that it no longer wanted to "silo" callers by identity. The shutdown left a gap for a group that is four times more likely to attempt suicide than their peers, according to AP News.
How the "Press 3" Line Went Dark in 2025
The LGBTQ+ subnetwork launched nationally in 2023. The Trevor Project handled roughly 50% of all its traffic, AP News reported. Between 2022 and its shutdown, the line fielded 1.5 million calls, texts, and chats. At its peak, it received about 2,200 contacts every single day.
On June 17, 2025, SAMHSA announced it would end the service by July 17. The agency said the $33 million set aside for the program had been fully spent. The Trevor Project received a formal stop-work order. Critics noted that the Biden administration had previously filled funding gaps with general funds — a step the Trump administration chose not to take.
Congress Forces the Relaunch With $33 Million Mandate
The restoration was a rare bipartisan win. Republicans including Rep. Michael Lawler of New York and Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska joined Democrats to lock in the $33.1 million. In April 2026, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told the Senate that the administration was actively working to bring the line back, according to AP News.
Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, who wrote the original 988 legislation, pushed hard for the funding. Her office framed the issue simply: the line saves lives. About 45% of LGBTQ+ high school students seriously considered suicide in 2021, per CDC data cited by her office. The "Press 3" option reached 10% of all 988 callers when it was active.
Trevor Project May Be Blocked Over Gender Identity Rules
The administration's problem with The Trevor Project appears to center on Executive Order 14168, which Trump signed on January 20, 2025. The order directs all federal agencies to recognize only two biological sexes. SAMHSA's Christopher Carroll wrote to Congress that the agency is "assessing the most appropriate approach" for the relaunch while ensuring compliance with that order, AP News reported.
That could mean counselors are barred from using a caller's preferred pronouns or affirming a transgender identity — the very support The Trevor Project was built to provide. CEO Jaymes Black called the situation "incomprehensible" and said the relaunch appears designed to exclude transgender-affirming care. Dr. Christine Yu Moutier of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention told AP News that cutting out a "trusted resource" like The Trevor Project "would not make sense" for public health.
What a Trevor-Free Relaunch Would Actually Mean
If The Trevor Project is excluded, SAMHSA must either find new partner organizations or train hundreds of new counselors from scratch. Mental health experts warn that is not simple. Dr. Chase Anderson of UCSF explained that LGBTQ+ youth face "minority stress" — chronic pressure from discrimination — that requires counselors with specific training in gender-affirming support, according to AP News.
The stakes are high. Transgender youth are the highest-risk subgroup among all LGBTQ+ young people. A relaunch that restricts counselors from acknowledging gender identity could push the most vulnerable callers away from the only line built for them. Advocates warn a legal fight over Congress's spending directives may follow if the administration tries to reshape the service's scope.
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