The Trump administration has successfully dismantled the Biden-era “X” gender marker system on passports, forcing airlines to guess passengers’ genders and creating chaos in the travel industry while restoring biological truth to federal documents.
Story Highlights
- Federal aviation systems now reject all “X” gender markers on passports, forcing airlines to guess passenger gender or face compliance penalties
- Trump’s Executive Order 14168 eliminated nonbinary passport designations, defining sex as strictly “male” or “female” based on biological reality
- Airlines face operational nightmares as valid U.S.-issued “X” passports conflict with new federal data requirements
- Court battles continue with federal judges temporarily blocking some enforcement while the administration seeks Supreme Court intervention
Trump Administration Restores Binary Gender Standards
President Trump signed Executive Order 14168 on January 20, 2025, titled “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.” This decisive action mandates that all federal identification documents recognize only male or female sex designations, eliminating the confusing “X” marker introduced under Biden’s radical gender ideology agenda. Secretary of State Marco Rubio immediately implemented the directive, suspending all nonbinary passport changes and restoring scientific accuracy to official documents.
Aviation Industry Scrambles Under New Compliance Rules
The U.S. Advance Passenger Information System began rejecting all gender codes except “M” and “F” on October 12, 2025, creating unprecedented operational challenges for airlines. Customs and Border Protection requires strict compliance with these binary designations, yet thousands of valid passports still carry the problematic “X” marker. Airlines must now either guess passenger gender based on appearance or face potential fines and delays, highlighting the administrative chaos created by the previous administration’s ideological experimentation.
Legal Battles Expose Judicial Overreach
Federal District Judge Julia Kobick issued a preliminary injunction in Orr v. Trump, temporarily allowing some individuals to continue selecting nonbinary markers despite the executive order. This judicial interference undermines the clear constitutional authority of the executive branch to establish passport policies. The Trump administration has rightfully appealed to the Supreme Court, seeking to overturn this activist ruling that contradicts both biological science and common sense governance principles.
International Travel Complications Highlight Policy Failures
The gender marker confusion creates diplomatic complications as the U.S. attempts to align with international aviation standards while maintaining constitutional governance. Many countries recognize various gender markers, but America’s return to biological truth puts national sovereignty above globalist pressure. Airlines report significant uncertainty about batch APIS submissions, with Customs and Border Protection providing limited operational guidance during this necessary transition period away from progressive overreach.
Administrative Cleanup Continues Despite Resistance
The State Department faces ongoing challenges enforcing the new binary system while activist organizations mobilize legal challenges and public pressure campaigns. Some reports suggest inconsistent enforcement of the court injunction, demonstrating the deep-rooted nature of bureaucratic resistance to constitutional governance. The administration’s commitment to eliminating gender ideology from federal documents represents a crucial step toward restoring American values and protecting women’s rights from radical transgender activism that threatened traditional family structures.
Sources:
USA Flights: New APIS transmission rules on gender codes and American passport number formats
