Trump and Vance addressed the annual March for Life after taking office.
Pro-life leaders expressed optimism as President Donald Trump began his second term of office, seeing potential for policy gains and messaging that would benefit the movement.
“I am incredibly enthusiastic,” Marjorie Dannenfelser, who leads the pro-life Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, told The Epoch Times on Jan. 24.
Dannenfelser’s organization works to elect pro-life candidates across the country.
She made those comments at the 51st March for Life, where both Trump and Vice President JD Vance addressed pro-life activists.
It was the third March for Life since the Supreme Court overturned the landmark decision in Roe v. Wade—effectively allowing states to impose greater restrictions.
Dannenfelser said, “There is something really important at the March for Life for them both to make an appearance here.”
She said that part of changing the culture to achieve pro-life gains was “electing great pro-life champions like JD Vance and others, who are great communicators, who can cut through the morass.”
Trump has resisted the subsequent pro-life calls for a national abortion ban, stating instead that he saw the issue as one for the states.
He also said before taking office that he wouldn’t ban the abortion pill.
Yet, pro-life leaders see room for progress for their movement; namely, in defunding Planned Parenthood, the nation’s most prominent abortion provider, and altering regulations surrounding abortion.
March for Life President Jeanne Mancini said she thought it was a “wonderful sign” that Vance attended the March.
“There were certainly some things on the campaign trail that, to me, were missteps … it’ll be interesting just to watch the Trump administration in the next few months,” she said.
Students for Life President Kristan Hawkins told The Epoch Times: “If he truly believes that abortion … should not be a federal issue, then put your money where your mouth is. …The first step is to debar and defund Planned Parenthood.”
Dannenfelser told The Epoch Times that her group would approach the Trump administration “as the friends that they are.”
“We have a lot of work to do, and we work within the possible. And I believe in the long run, everyone will be on board with some national limit,” she added.
Pro-life activists have long sought for Congress to block the flow of Medicaid dollars to Planned Parenthood but Republicans haven’t managed to make defunding the law.
By Sam Dorman
