The Trump administration has announced a significant expansion of the Mexico City policy, which restricts U.S. foreign aid. Historically, Republican administrations have prohibited U.S. funds from going to organizations that provide or promote abortion, a ban that Democratic administrations have typically reversed.
Vice President JD Vance announced the expansion at the March for Life rally in Washington, D.C. The policy will now also bar funding to groups that promote "gender ideology" and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Vance stated that the expansion aims to protect life and combat these ideologies.
This policy's reach is being extended beyond non-governmental charitable organizations to larger international bodies, including U.N. agencies. The Mexico City policy, first established in 1984 by President Ronald Reagan, initially focused on banning family planning funds to groups involved with abortion. President Trump's first administration expanded the rule to encompass all foreign aid for global health. The policy was rescinded by President Biden but reinstated last year.
The previous reinstatement of the rule impacted organizations such as MSI Reproductive Choices, a U.K.-based non-profit. Sarah Shaw, MSI's associate director of advocacy, stated the organization lost $15 million in funding, leading to the closure of half of its outreach teams in Zimbabwe and an estimated loss of reproductive care access for 2.6 million women.
Keifer Buckingham, managing director for the Council for Global Equality, described the policy as using U.S. foreign assistance for an ideological agenda, potentially hindering healthcare for marginalized groups. Elisha Dunn-Georgiou, CEO of the Global Health Council, characterized the expansion as unprecedented, impacting healthcare providers, patients, and governments, with its scope extending to all non-military foreign assistance, estimated at over $30 billion.
The policy's broadened restrictions on "gender ideology" and DEI reflect previous domestic actions by the Trump administration to limit funding for institutions that address gender as a spectrum or focus on marginalized racial or ethnic groups. Buckingham commented that this move extends a domestic ideological campaign globally. Concerns have been raised that groups providing healthcare to transgender individuals or those serving specific racial/ethnic populations could lose U.S. funding.
Advocates worry that organizations may pre-emptively adjust their work to comply with the new rules to secure funding, potentially prioritizing compliance over public health or scientific best practices. The State Department has indicated that President Trump's objective is to "end woke foreign assistance."