Donald Trump revives Mexico City Policy, bolsters Hyde Amendment

President Donald Trump is taking aggressive action to restrict the use of taxpayer money for abortions, both domestically and internationally, by signing two executive orders.

These moves, enacted on Friday, reversed policies of the previous administration and underscored a political divide over abortion funding.

One key action was a presidential memorandum reinstating the Mexico City Policy.

This policy, first introduced in 1984 during the Ronald Reagan administration, prohibits the U.S. government from providing federal funding to international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that perform or promote abortion services. This includes not just direct procedures but also counseling, referrals, and advocacy related to abortion.

The reinstatement reversed a January 2021 directive by former President Joe Biden, which had allowed taxpayer funds to support such organizations operating outside of the United States.

Trump’s memorandum extended the policy’s reach by directing the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to implement a plan to apply these restrictions to all global health assistance provided by U.S. agencies.

This significantly broadened the scope of organizations affected by funding restrictions. The memorandum also directed the Secretary of State to ensure that U.S. funds do not support coercive abortion or involuntary sterilization programs.

In addition to reinstating the Mexico City Policy, Trump also signed an executive order designed to strengthen the enforcement of the Hyde Amendment. This amendment, which has been in place for nearly five decades, prohibits the use of federal funds for elective abortions within the United States. The executive order aimed to ensure that federal programs do not circumvent the Hyde Amendment by indirectly funding abortions.

According to the executive order, it was now the policy of the United States to end the forced use of taxpayer money to fund or promote elective abortions, aligning federal policy with the Hyde Amendment. The order stated that the previous administration had disregarded this policy by embedding forced taxpayer funding of elective abortions in various federal programs.

Against the backdrop of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to eliminate federal abortion rights nearly three years ago, and just days into a new presidential term of a self-described “most pro-life” President, thousands of anti-abortion advocates marched on Washington for the 52nd March for Life on Friday.

Trump, in a pre-recorded video for the March for Life in Washington, highlighted his recent pardons of 23 anti-abortion activists, including Lauren Handy, who received a nearly five-year sentence for a 2020 clinic blockade. Handy gained notoriety after police found five fetuses in her home following her arrest for federal civil rights offenses. Trump also touted his role in overturning Roe v. Wade, calling it a disastrous ruling leading to “division and anger.” He pledged to stop the “radical Democrat push” for “unlimited abortion” and investigate attacks on churches and crisis pregnancy centers, promising to “bring perpetrators to justice” during his second term.

These actions by Trump highlighted the ongoing political debate over abortion rights and the use of taxpayer funds. The Mexico City Policy has been a point of contention, with Democratic administrations rescinding it and Republican administrations reinstating it, demonstrating the issue’s volatility.

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Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.