The Global Gag Rule is Once Again Expanded, Maximizing Harm
The Global Gag Rule, started by President Ronald Regan in 1984, prevented foreign NGOs from receiving U.S. family planning assistance if they performed, promoted, advocated for, counseled on, or referred patients for abortion. It has gone in and out of place since then, depending on who is in the White House. It was expanded during the first Trump administration to apply not only to family planning funding, but all of global health funding. Caitlin Horrigan, Senior Director of Global Advocacy at the Planned Parenthood Action Fund and Beirne Roose-Snyder, Senior Policy Fellow at the Council for Global Equality, sit down to talk with us about the new and purposefully broad expansion on an already-devastating rule.
The Global Gag Rule impacts the most marginalized—women and girls, Black and brown people, the LGBTQI+ community, those in humanitarian settings, those living rurally, people living with disabilities, and more. At the 2026 March for Life, JD Vance announced the policy, “Promoting Human Flourishing in Foreign Assistance”, which includes three federal rules applying to grants and contracts coming from the State Department. It operationalizes and expands the existing global gag rule to all foreign assistance, to new actors (including new governments), and with new definitions. It also applies to those promoting “gender ideology” and “discriminatory equity ideology” or engagement in “unlawful diversity, equity, and inclusion-related discrimination.” These rules are purposefully long and complicated to create less obvious legal challenges. This expansion lands on top of an already devastated global health landscape.
LINKS FROM THIS EPISODE
Council for Global Equality on X
Council for Global Equality on Facebook
Planned Parenthood Federation of America on X
Planned Parenthood Federation of America on Facebook
Overwhelming Majority of Americans Concerned About the Global Gag Rule's Dangerous Health Consequences, According to New Research Released on International Women’s Day
BREAKING: Trump Administration Exploits Foreign Aid to Harm People and Further its Agenda Globally
Trump’s new foreign aid ban expands his “cruel” agenda on the world
The Trump Administration’s Latest Expansion of the Mexico City Policy: A Funding Analysis
Expanded global gag rule to ban US foreign aid to groups that promote ‘gender ideology’
LGBTQI+ People Need a Permanent End to the Global Gag Rule
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Transcript
Jennie: Welcome to rePROs Fight Back, a podcast on all things related to sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice. [music intro]
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Follow PPFA on Facebook and X and the Council for Global Equality on Facebook and X.
If you are looking to learn more, listen to rePROs Fight Back’s past episodes on the Global Gag Rule: The Global Gag Rule, The Global Gag Rule’s Harm Has Persisted for 40 Years, and Four Days In, Trump Reinstated the Global Gag Rule.
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