Trump Reinstates Anti-Abortion Policies, Rejoins Geneva Consensus Declaration

President Donald Trump has used his executive powers to reinstate U.S. involvement in two international anti-abortion agreements. These include the Mexico City Policy, which cuts U.S. family planning funds to foreign organizations that provide or promote abortions. The policy, first introduced by former President Ronald Reagan in 1984, has been repealed by Democratic presidents and reinstated by Republicans returning to office.

Abortion remains a highly divisive issue in U.S. politics, and it was a central topic in Trump’s 2024 campaign. The issue gained further prominence in 2022 when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to eliminate the nationwide right to abortion, leaving the decision to individual states.

In a memorandum issued Friday, Trump directed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to implement the Mexico City Policy, ensuring that U.S. taxpayer dollars do not fund organizations involved in coercive abortion programs or involuntary sterilizations. Critics, including Democrats and abortion rights advocates, argue that the policy undermines access to broader healthcare services and hinders non-governmental organizations from receiving U.S. funding, even if they use their own resources for abortion care.

Janeen Madan Keller, a policy fellow at the Center for Global Development, criticized the gag rule for leading to an increase in unwanted pregnancies and abortions, contrary to its intended effects. She warned that such decisions would set back U.S. efforts to advance gender equality by limiting opportunities for women and girls in education and the workforce.

Alongside the reinstatement of the Mexico City Policy, Rubio also announced that the United States would rejoin the Geneva Consensus Declaration. This declaration, co-sponsored by the U.S., Brazil, Uganda, Egypt, Hungary, and Indonesia in 2020, aims to promote better healthcare for women and protect human life, while reinforcing the family unit and respecting national sovereignty. Critics contend that the declaration restricts abortion access for millions of women and girls worldwide.