NWLC on Trump Administration’s Decision to Ban Abortion Care for Veterans

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Aug. 1, 2025) — Today, the Trump administration announced its intent to roll back the rule that allowed the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide abortion care and counseling to veterans and eligible loved ones. This cruel decision is at odds with claims by an administration that purports to care about veterans, instead stripping them and their families of essential health care, jeopardizing their health, dignity, and lives.

Katie O’Connor, senior director of federal abortion policy at the National Women’s Law Center, issued the following statement in response:

“The administration’s decision to eliminate abortion care and counseling through VA is a direct attack on those who have served our country. At a time when extremist lawmakers are passing cruel abortion bans and restrictions, this move only deepens the crisis those laws have created—stripping veterans of their reproductive freedom and creating even more confusion about where they can turn for care.

Let me be clear: abortion is health care. Veterans already face unique challenges to their health and well-being, including experiencing PTSD, recovering from military sexual trauma, and facing an increased risk of suicide. Banning access to the full range of reproductive services, including abortion, further jeopardizes their health and safety. No one should have to travel hundreds of miles, endure financial hardship, or risk their health just to get the medical care they need. Our veterans deserve better.”