Under President Trump's renewed leadership, significant changes are underway at the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). William W. Lothrop has stepped in as interim director, replacing Colette Peters, who resigned on Inauguration Day. Lothrop's appointment comes as the Trump administration prioritizes housing transgender inmates based on biological sex, not gender identity.
This shift follows Trump's executive order, "Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government." This order explicitly defines sex as male or female, determined by biological factors, and requires federal agencies to adhere to this definition. It also stipulates that inmate housing in federal prisons will be determined by biological sex and halts federal funding for gender-affirming medical interventions for inmates.
This policy directly impacts the approximately 2,300 transgender inmates currently in the federal prison system. It reverses the trend seen during the Biden administration, where several states, including California and New York, allowed transgender individuals to be housed according to their gender identity. California, the first state to implement such a policy in 2021, experienced a substantial increase in its transgender inmate population following the change.
Lothrop, the former BOP deputy director, takes the helm at a time of ongoing challenges for the agency, including staffing shortages and operational issues. His appointment comes as part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to address these issues and implement reforms within the BOP.
During his recent campaign, Trump emphasized his commitment to challenging what he terms "left-wing gender ideology." He even ran a successful ad campaign criticizing his opponent, former Vice President Kamala Harris, for her support of gender-affirming care for incarcerated individuals in California. This renewed focus on the issue underscores the significance of Lothrop's appointment and the policy changes being implemented within the BOP.
