Trump will reportedly block federal funds for any clinic that provides, talks about abortion

(Image credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

published 18 May 2018

On Friday, the Trump administration will unveil a policy that would block federal funds from going to any clinic or program that provides abortion services, including promoting abortion or steering women to a clinic that provides them, The New York Times reports. Federal law already prevents Title X funds from being used to perform abortions. President Ronald Reagan had instituted a similar policy, called a "gag rule" by critics and medical groups, in 1988, but court challenges prevented it from fully taking effect before President Bill Clinton scrapped it in 1994. President Trump's order is similarly expected to face court challenge.

Dawn Laguens, the executive vice president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America — the main target of the rule — called the proposal an "outrageous" and "dangerous" decision "designed to force doctors and nurses to lie to their patients" and "make it impossible for millions of patients to get birth control or preventive care from reproductive health care providers like Planned Parenthood." Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the anti-abortion Susan B. Anthony List organization, thanked Trump for his "decisive leadership" on pro-life issues and said this move will "energize" his conservative supporters this fall.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.