Trump reinstates Mexico City policy impacting international abortion funding
Donald Trump on Friday signed an executive order reinstating a federal rule known as the "Mexico City policy", which halts US aid from flowing to groups that provide abortion services, offer counsel about the procedure, or advocate for abortion rights overseas.
The policy, first instituted by Ronald Reagan in 1984, is typically enacted whenever a Republican president wins the White House and rescinded under Democrat leadership. This fluctuation has significant implications for abortion and reproductive healthcare globally.
The revival of the Mexico City policy historically affects approximately $600 million of international aid. During his first term, however, Trump dramatically expanded the policy’s scope, which abortion rights supporters have labelled a "global gag rule". Instead of applying the policy solely to family planning assistance, the Trump administration extended this to organisations providing a wide range of health services, affecting billions of dollars' worth of aid.
According to the Guttmacher Institute, which monitors abortion restrictions and their effects, the policy can cut off access to contraception, lead women to seek unsafe abortions, and create turmoil within non-governmental groups reliant on US aid for their operations.
Rebecca Hart Holder, president of Reproductive Equity Now, stated, "Reinstating the Mexico City policy will have deadly consequences for people across the globe." She emphasised that the US is a vital partner to healthcare providers worldwide, and stripping frontline providers of the ability to offer comprehensive reproductive healthcare and information about options will result in lives lost due to pregnancy complications.
Trump also signed a second executive order reaffirming a longstanding US policy that prohibits the use of federal funds for abortions. This order rescinded two executive measures enacted by Joe Biden aimed at protecting abortion access following the 2022 overturning of Roe v Wade, which led many states to impose bans on the procedure.
His executive orders were issued shortly after he addressed protesters at the March for Life, the largest anti-abortion gathering in the US, held in Washington. Vice President JD Vance also spoke at the March.
Vance declared, "With the inauguration on Monday, our country faces the return of the most pro-family, most pro-life American president of our lifetimes," eliciting immense cheers from the crowd.
Although abortion rights remain highly popular in the US, Vance and Trump's participation at the March signals the political strength and unwavering influence of the anti-abortion movement within the GOP.
The Senate majority leader, John Thune, and the Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, also addressed the March, marking the first time in over 50 years that leaders from both congressional chambers have done so.
