The Trump administration is reportedly pausing millions in federal funding for Planned Parenthood, essentially defunding the abortion giant, while it reviews whether any of the money was spent on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Planned Parenthood and its affiliates were set to receive approximately $120 million this year, with the money earmarked for pregnancy testing, evaluation, and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases and infertility counseling, according to The Wall Street Journal, which reported on the move Tuesday.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order shortly after taking office in January eliminating federal DEI efforts, and a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) told Reuters that "HHS is reviewing grantees to ensure compliance with President Trump's executive orders."
The money is reportedly distributed by HHS' Title X program, with the $120 million being about half of the funding available to the program for this year. Under the program, roughly four million people access services through a network of around 4,000 clinics.
"The Trump-Vance-Musk administration wants to shut down Planned Parenthood health centers by any means necessary, and they'll end people's access to birth control, cancer screenings, STI testing and treatment, and more to do it," Planned Parenthood Federation of America President and CEO Alexis McGill Johnson told the Journal.
Democrats in Congress also slammed the administration's move to halt the funding.
"Fundamentally, we are talking about the Trump administration cutting off very basic and lifesaving health care," Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said, according to The Washington Times. "Title X has long had bipartisan support, and I hope every one of my colleagues who support basic, cost-saving family planning services will speak out against this illegal hijacking of lifesaving funding women across America are counting on for health care."
Trump said Tuesday that he may direct the Justice Department to bring criminal charges against Planned Parenthood officials for allegedly trafficking in aborted fetal tissue.
"I think you are talking about a subject that's been a heated subject, and we'll look into it," Trump told reporters when asked about probing the fetal harvesting allegations. "We'll look into everything, but that's certainly a subject that's been debated for a long time, and we will look into it."
In 2015, an anti-abortion activist group released undercover videos that showed Planned Parenthood officials discussing how to abort a fetus to best preserve its organs for biomedical research, as well as negotiating the sale of aborted fetal tissue.
In one case, a Planned Parenthood representative joked about wanting a Lamborghini with the undercover anti-abortion activists, who were posing as researchers.
After the videos were released, Planned Parenthood's then-President Cecile Richards reportedly sent an 11-page letter to members of Congress, admitting that affiliates had accepted payments of up to $60 per "tissue specimen" obtained through abortion, but claimed they were cost reimbursements, which are permitted under federal law.
In her letter, Richards also admitted that "adjustments that facilitate fetal tissue donations rarely occur at a few of our clinics that offer women this service."
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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