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Why is the Trump administration continuing Biden’s abortion policies?

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by Marjorie Dannenfelser, opinion contributor - 04/17/26 7:30 AM ET

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by Marjorie Dannenfelser, opinion contributor - 04/17/26 7:30 AM ET

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AP Photo/Eric Gay, File

In a shocking turn of events, the Trump-Vance Administration has chosen to carry over former President Joe Biden’s forced taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood.

Initially, President Trump froze Title X grants for the organization, but he quietly unfroze them in January. He is now actively re-funding America’s largest abortion business courtesy, of our tax dollars.

While Congress worked hard to deprive big abortion of its largest funding stream last year, the administration just turned around and restored millions to Planned Parenthood through Title X. The Department of Health and Human Services is now signaling a change to the program starting one year from now. Although that is positive news, it does not undo the damage.

Why would the Trump-Vance administration choose to carry forward the abortion policies of its Democratic predecessors? Why would it do so when its relationship with its own base is already strained, according to most polls?

These are not abstract concerns. They are urgent questions, given their confusing decision. After briefly pausing grants issued during the Biden years, the administration proactively decided to continue them for another full year.

For pro-life voters, this is not just a policy dispute; it is a shot across the bow. And right now, many in the Republican base see this decision for what it is, a clear message.

That perception is especially dangerous given the broader political context. The president is already facing soft poll numbers by historical standards for a Republican leader heading into a midterm cycle. Enthusiasm will determine whether Republicans hold their ground in November. And enthusiasm is exactly what President Trump erodes, every time he rewards and funds abortionists.

This frustration is not theoretical. Three out of four Republican base voters support defunding Planned Parenthood. One-third say they would be less enthusiastic about voting if the party were to back away from pro-life policies.

In a tight election, that is not a marginal difference — it is a sure bet.

The confusion deepens when put up against Trump’s own record. The first Trump administration implemented the Protect Life Rule, a policy specifically designed to prevent Title X funds from flowing to organizations involved in abortion. It was a cornerstone achievement for pro-life advocates and a clear demonstration that campaign promises could translate into policy.

That is why many expected its immediate reinstatement. Instead, more than a year into the current term, the administration not only failed to even begin to restore that policy but has extended a Biden-era policy.

This is where frustration turns into something more politically consequential, our distrust. Many pro-life voters are beginning to see these are not isolated missteps but a broader pattern from the administration of drifting away from core commitments.

The Title X decision comes alongside other moves that can only be characterized as acting in the best interest of the abortion industry. The administration has allowed the continued shipment of abortion drugs into red states, violating state pro-life laws. It has even gone so far as to side with the abortion industry against red states in cases brought by GOP attorneys general. It has also called for Republicans to be “flexible” on the Hyde Amendment, a long-standing safeguard against forced taxpayer funding of abortion.

Expanding appeal beyond one’s own base is a common goal in national politics. But it becomes a liability when it crosses a line — when outreach starts to look like abandonment of core supporters and principles.

Because political coalitions are not built on arithmetic alone. They are built on trust, consistency and shared priorities. And for decades, the pro-life movement has been one of the most reliable pillars of the Republican coalition—delivering votes, volunteers and grassroots energy where it mattered most. To jeopardize that relationship in pursuit of highly motivated pro-abortion voters is not only a high-risk gamble, but also completely miscalculated.

There is little evidence that funding Planned Parenthood or softening positions on abortion will meaningfully shift independent voters in large numbers. But there is ample evidence that such moves will dampen enthusiasm among pro-life voters who already feel sidelined.

On the ground, the consequences are already being felt. Our field operations in battleground states depend on motivating voters who are not habitual participants in mid