In a press briefing on Friday President Donald Trump praised billionaire Elon Musk for his contributions to DOGE, citing a debunked claim that the government had been funding scientific research to make "transgender mice."
Trump referenced $8 million in federal funding supposedly saved by DOGE when the agency halted efforts to make "mice transgender."
"They spent $8 million on making mice transgender, and those are better than many of the others," Trump said. "I could sit here all day and read things just like that, but we have other things to do."
The comments come months after Americans for Medical Progress issued a formal statement clarifying the nature of the research Trump was referring to. According to scientists, the studies in question have nothing to do with gender identity or transitioning animals, but rather investigate how hormones function in development and disease. Many of these studies involve mice models to better understand conditions like endometriosis, infertility, breast cancer, and prostate cancer.
"Misrepresenting this work will hinder our ability to protect our children and weaken progress toward improving the health and well-being of all individuals, regardless of background or belief," the statement said.
The White House posted a rebuttal to fact checkers that remains live on the White House website as Trump continues to amplify the claim.
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