Trump administration rolls out new anti-abortion actions ahead of March for Life

The Trump administration announced a number of anti-abortion policies and measures on Thursday, just before the annual March for Life. The administration took this action to garner support from conservative activists dissatisfied with the slow pace of abortion restrictions.

The moves go against things that the anti-abortion movement has traditionally opposed, like government funding for abortion providers, state safeguards for abortion, and medical research that uses fetal tissue. Officials from the administration said the timing was planned, but they denied that the actions were a reaction to recent criticism from anti-abortion leaders.

Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, remarked, "All of these things are great news." But she also said these were "the barest of bare minimums" needed to regain the movement's full support.

Dannenfelser added that activists are still focused on making it harder to get abortion drugs and increasing the Hyde Amendment, which stops most federal financing for abortion. She remarked, "This administration has not moved when it could have." "This is not where we wanted things to go."

An unnamed White House official who spoke about strategy indicated that the announcements were intended to coincide with the March for Life and were not a response to pressure from activists. The official said, "This is not a cleanup job." "This is just us always doing what we said we would do."

The National Institutes of Health declared it will no longer sponsor research that uses human fetal tissue. This is one of the most important things it has done. It is reinstating and broadening the restrictions initially implemented during President Trump's first term. The policy covers both NIH research conducted in-house and studies at other institutions funded by the federal government.

NIH noted that the choice was made because it is their job to make sure that taxpayer-funded research is "scientifically rigorous, ethically sound, and justified by a maximal return on the public's investment."

Joe Biden abolished the limits in 2021, saying they were hindering medical progress. The policy goes back to what it was before. Researchers have used fetal tissue to help make vaccinations and therapies for diseases like HIV, Parkinson's, and COVID-19.

The government also said it would take action against Illinois and Planned Parenthood. The Department of Health and Human Services' Office for Civil Rights said that Illinois broke federal law by forcing some providers to send patients for abortions, even though courts had already upheld the state's policy.

Paula M. Stannard, the office's director, said, "Illinois makes providers with moral objections send patients for abortions."

Federal officials told Illinois that if it does not permanently get rid of the referral requirement within 30 days, it could lose some HHS funds.

The White House official said more anti-abortion actions are planned but cautioned that policy changes take time, reiterating the administration’s claim that President Trump remains committed to an anti-abortion agenda.

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