A transgender inmate in Indiana has filed a $3.5 million lawsuit against former President Donald Trump, alleging that his administration's policies and rhetoric led to her being sexually assaulted in prison.​

The inmate, known as Autumn Cordellionè (born Jonathan C. Richardson), is serving a 55-year sentence for the 2001 reckless homicide of her 11-month-old stepdaughter. In her handwritten complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, Cordellionè claims that Trump's "transphobic hate speech" and "extremist rhetoric" emboldened other inmates and prison staff, leading to multiple sexual assaults after she was transferred from protective custody to the all-male Westville Correctional Facility.

Cordellionè alleges that during the assaults, attackers invoked Trump's name, stating, "Trump's president now, and we won’t even get in trouble for f-----g you trannies up, we’re patriots and even if you tell on us, Trump will pardon us and probably give us a medal."

The lawsuit also accuses prison staff of ignoring her reports of assault and discriminating against her for being transgender. Cordellionè contends that these actions violated her Eighth Amendment rights, which protect against cruel and unusual punishment.

This case is part of a broader legal challenge against policies implemented during Trump's presidency that affected transgender inmates. In January 2025, Trump signed Executive Order 14168, mandating that federal prisoners be housed according to their biological sex and prohibiting federal funds from being used for gender-affirming surgeries.

In response to the lawsuit, a White House spokesperson reiterated Trump's commitment to policies recognizing only biological sex, stating, "President Trump has vowed to defend biological women from gender ideology extremism and restore biological truth to the Federal government." ​

Cordellionè has previously filed lawsuits related to her treatment in prison, including a 2024 case against a prison chaplain for denying her request to wear a hijab and recognize her gender identity. ​

The outcome of this lawsuit could have significant implications for the rights and protections of transgender individuals in the U.S. prison system.