Trump Administration Stops Taxpayer Funding of Abortion Overseas

Washington, DC – On January 23, 2017, President Donald J. Trump issued a Presidential memorandum reinstituting the Mexico City policy initiated by President Ronald Reagan in 1984, barring abortion providers who operate in foreign countries from receiving U.S taxpayer funds.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, in coordination with the U.S Department of Health and Human Services, expanded the Mexico City Policy to “global health assistance furnished by all departments or agencies” to the extent allowable by law. The expanded policy is referred to as “Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance (PLGHA).

The U.S. Department of State issued its report of the results of the reinstituted Mexico City Policy and found that 99.5 percent of all grantees have complied with the order with 729 of primary grantee organizations in compliance and only four organizations refused to stop promoting abortion. 

“The pro-life community is thankful that the Trump administration is has put an immediate stop to our tax dollars being used to promote and perform abortions across the globe,” said Faith & Freedom Executive Director Tim Head. “The abortion industry and organizations that perform and promote abortion will now be forced to seek funding from sources other than the U.S taxpayer.”