Trump’s Call for 'Flexibility' on Hyde Sparks Pro-Life Backlash
President Trump’s call for flexibility on the Hyde Amendment to revive Obamacare subsidies has sparked backlash from pro-life groups who warn that compromising on abortion funding risks both core principles and voter support.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump has urged congressional Republicans to show “flexibility” on abortion funding restrictions as lawmakers negotiate reviving enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies that expired in 2025.
Speaking Jan. 6 at the House Republican Conference retreat at the newly renamed Trump–Kennedy Center, Trump encouraged extending the subsidies to prevent sharp premium increases, while suggesting compromise on the Hyde Amendment, the long-standing provision barring most federal funding for abortion. “You have to be a little flexible on Hyde,” he told lawmakers.
The remarks drew swift criticism from pro-life groups and some Republicans, who said the Hyde Amendment is a non-negotiable principle. Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser warned abandoning Hyde would alienate voters, while Students for Life Action said Republicans should pursue “the right deal,” not any deal.
The Hyde Amendment has been reauthorized annually since 1976 and consistently supported by Republican leaders, including Trump, who signed an executive order earlier this year reaffirming its enforcement.
Previously, the UOJ reported that the Moscow Synod declared a day of prayer against abortion.
