Conservative evangelicals opposed to abortion have been a core part of President Donald Trump's base since 2016, but his administration's latest move now has many evangelicals questioning their support of the president.
The Washington Post reported Thursday that just prior to the federal government shutdown that began Wednesday morning, the Trump administration's Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new generic version of the Mifepristone abortion pill for use by the general public. The approval angered both anti-abortion activists and Republican elected officials.
"This is a wildly disappointing decision. We are extraordinarily disappointed," Students for Life of America vice president of media and policy Kristi Hamrick told the Post.
The anti-abortion movement had previously celebrated the temporary revocation of Mifepristone's FDA approval by U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk — a Trump appointee to the Northern District of Texas — in 2023. However, the Supreme Court stayed his decision, and in 2024 sided with plaintiffs who sought to keep the drug available for public consumption.
Previously, anti-abortion advocates celebrated the announcement by the Trump administration's Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to conduct a more thorough review of Mifepristone for safety, even though the drug had been deemed safe by the FDA since September of 2000. Activists say they felt blindsided by the approval of the generic Mifepristone alternative given previous promises to conduct safety reviews.
"This reckless decision by the FDA to expand the availability of abortion drugs is unconscionable," stated Marjorie Dannenfelser, who is the president of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America.
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) piled on, saying he had "lost confidence in the leadership at FDA." And former Vice President Mike Pence also slammed the decision, calling it "a complete betrayal of the pro-life movement that elected President Trump" while also demanding the firing of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
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