The Trump administration plans to destroy millions of dollars’ worth of taxpayer-funded contraceptives intended for women in low-income countries, sparking controversy amid concerns about birth control access. While there is no current directive banning birth control in the US, budget cuts have threatened access for many American women.
What Contraceptives Are Being Destroyed and Why?
The US government is set to destroy IUDs, implants, and pills valued at approximately $9.7 million, according to NPR. These contraceptives have been stuck in a Belgian warehouse since the Trump administration froze foreign aid and scrapped USAID earlier this year.
Doctors Without Borders and the reproductive health nonprofit MSI United States confirmed that these products have expiration dates ranging from 2027 to 2031. Originally intended for girls and women in low-income nations—especially in sub-Saharan Africa—they are now slated for incineration in Europe.
The US State Department clarified that only a limited number of contraceptives will be disposed of and that HIV medications and condoms are not affected.
Cost and Backlash Over Destruction of Contraceptives
Destroying the contraceptives will cost the US $167,000 at a French medical waste facility, NPR reports.
Chelsea Polis, principal research scientist at the Guttmacher Institute, said:
“Contraceptives worth $9.7 million could have prevented pregnancies for over 650,000 people for one year or 950,000 people for ten years, depending on usage.”
Despite offers from other organizations to purchase and distribute the contraceptives, the Trump administration has refused to sell, labeling them as ‘abortifacient birth control commodities’, meaning they allegedly cause pregnancy termination.
This aligns with the Mexico City Policy, reinstated by Trump during his second term, which restricts foreign NGOs from using US federal funds to provide abortion services or related information.
Impact of Trump’s Budget Cuts on Birth Control Access in the US
Domestically, Title X — a family planning program established under President Nixon — is reportedly under threat. Nixon famously stated:
“No American woman should be denied access to family planning assistance because of her economic condition.”
Although the 2025 budget allocates $285.6 million to Title X, 15 public health organizations are suing the Trump administration for allegedly withholding funds, which they argue has jeopardized access to birth control and other essential services for over 800,000 people.
