President Donald Trump’s executive order that ended the use of taxpayer dollars “to fund or promote elective abortion” will change how female military service members pursue getting the procedure.
The Department of Defense reversed the abortion policy implemented by the Biden administration. This means the government will no longer fund the travel of service members who need to cross state lines for an abortion. The policy change went into effect immediately after it was announced last week, according to Military Times.
Under the Biden administration, those in the military who sought to get an abortion out of state were reportedly granted travel stipends and up to three weeks of administrative leave. It was deemed a necessity by the former administration after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022. That decision returned the legality of abortion to the states, which resulted in some states prohibiting the practice. Depending on the state in which a female service member was stationed, abortion may have been illegal.
The Trump administration changed that with its directive last Thursday. It was a policy shift celebrated by many congressional Republicans, including Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL).
“For the past two years, I have been sounding the alarm about the Pentagon’s illegal and immoral practice of using taxpayer dollars to fund abortions,” Tuberville said. “The Biden administration treated taxpayers like their own personal piggy bank that they could use to bankroll their woke agenda. President Trump and Secretary Hegseth affirmed today what I’ve been fighting for since I got to Washington: Zero taxpayer dollars should go towards abortions.”
Democrats condemned the policy change, calling it an act that showed a lack of support for military members and their families.
“At a time when we are already facing military recruitment and retention challenges, we should do all we can to assure those who answer the call to serve America that we will do everything in our power to support them and their families,” Senate Democrats said in a statement.
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“Instead, this extreme action does the opposite and sends a message to servicewomen — who make up more than 17% of our military’s active duty — that they are not as valuable as their male counterparts.”
Data revealed that the travel stipends for abortion were not a popular program utilized by those in the military, Military Times reported. Between June and December 2023, there were only 12 troops who used the program, according to the Pentagon.
