President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday reinstating the Mexico City Policy, which bars federal funds from going to overseas organizations that perform or promote abortions.
The policy was first enacted under President Reagan and has since been rescinded twice at the beginning of Democratic administrations (Clinton and Obama) and reinstated twice at the beginning of Republican administrations (George W. Bush and Trump).
When Gallup conducted a poll during the second week of Obama’s presidency, the pollster found most early executive actions taken by Obama were popular except for two: his order to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay and his order rescinding the Mexico City Policy.
“[M]ore Americans say they disapprove (50%) than approve (44%) of his decision to order the closing of the Guantanamo Bay prison for terrorist suspects in Cuba within a year,” Gallup reported. “Further, Obama’s decision to reverse the prohibition on funding for overseas family-planning providers may be the least popular thing he has done so far. […] Fifty-eight percent of Americans disapprove of Obama’s decision to lift this ban, while only 35% approve of it.”
