Trump administration has directed the destruction of birth control pills, intra-uterine devices, and hormonal implants, valued at approximately $9.7 million, which were intended for distribution to low-income countries.
The contraceptives were procured by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) before its dismantling earlier this year but were left in a warehouse in Belgium after the US government ceased funding for such products.
Internal documents from the US State Department and USAID, obtained by The New York Times, reveal that several international organizations, including the Gates Foundation and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, had offered to either purchase or accept donations of the contraceptives, at no cost to the US government.
However, the Trump administration chose to destroy the products, with the operation costing $167,000, reports The New York Times.
A spokeswoman for USAID, which is currently being phased out by Russell Vought, the head of the White House Office of Management and Budget, confirmed the destruction but inaccurately stated that the contraceptives were abortifacients.
“President Trump is committed to protecting the lives of unborn children around the world,” the spokesperson’s statement read. However, none of the items in the warehouse were abortifacients, as confirmed by inventory records. The products were designed to prevent pregnancy by inhibiting ovulation or fertilization, not by causing abortion.
The decision to destroy the contraceptives has drawn sharp criticism from global health advocates.
Beth Schlachter, director of external relations for MSI Reproductive Choices, described the act as “an outrageous act of cruelty” and warned that it would lead to loss of life, undermine progress in global health, and deprive millions of people of essential family planning resources.
The decision to proceed with the destruction was reportedly made by Jeremy Lewin, the State Department’s senior official overseeing foreign aid, who in June instructed employees to destroy the supplies, citing budget concerns and the administration’s opposition to funding such products.
Despite offers to distribute the contraceptives through other means, the administration proceeded with the destruction.
This act is seen as part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to reduce foreign aid programs, with foreign assistance now under the purview of the US State Department following USAID’s closure.
