Following House Speaker Paul Ryan's promise to defund Planned Parenthood earlier this year, President Donald Trump on Monday attempted to strike a deal with the organization that would allow them to keep their federal funding if they agree to stop providing abortions.
According to the New York Times, Trump's informal proposal came as a result of his concerns about potential "political repercussions" over House Republicans' efforts to strip Planned Parenthood of its funding. But as of Monday, officials for the organization have already rejected the offer, pointing out that none of the estimated $500 million they receive annually goes toward abortion services.
"Let's be clear: Federal funds already do not pay for abortions," Planned Parenthood Federation of America executive vice president Dawn Laguens said. "Offering money to Planned Parenthood to abandon our patients and our values is not a deal that we will ever accept. Providing critical health care services for millions of American women is nonnegotiable."
As the New York Times goes on to point out, Trump's attempt to reach out to Planned Parenthood was a relatively surprising move that seems to suggest an "internal struggle" between catering to the Republican party and to his daughter Ivanka Trump, who has been vocal about her hopes to champion women's rights in her father's administration.
Even throughout his campaign, Trump's comparatively "open-minded" stance on Planned Parenthood was attributed to his daughter. However, this isn't to say he was in support of the organization: Despite acknowledging the wealth of life-saving and important services the organization provides, he still repeatedly promised to defund Planned Parenthood if elected. (Meanwhile, Ivanka Trump has repeatedly denied to comment on her stance on abortion rights.)
In response to the news that he'd attempted to strike a deal with Planned Parenthood, Trump released a statement on Monday, acknowledging the discussion had taken place.
"As I said throughout the campaign, I am pro-life and I am deeply committed to investing in women's health and plan to significantly increase federal funding in support of non-abortion services such as cancer screenings," Trump said. "Polling shows the majority of Americans oppose public funding for abortion, even those who identify as pro-choice. There is an opportunity for organizations to continue the important work they do in support of women's health, while not providing abortion services."
Several Democratic Senators and House Representatives were quick to express their outrage in response, particularly in light of House Republicans releasing a plan to repeal and replace Obamacare on Monday, which would include defunding Planned Parenthood.
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