Trump Admin Pauses Federal Funding On Family Planning Services

Red button labeled PAUSE on gray background.

The Trump administration suspends $27.5 million in federal funding to Planned Parenthood and other family planning providers while investigating potential violations of executive orders aimed at diversity programs and services for undocumented immigrants.

Key Takeaways

16 organizations, including at least 11 Planned Parenthood affiliates, have received notices that their Title X funding is temporarily withheld pending compliance investigations.
The Department of Health and Human Services is investigating potential violations related to civil rights laws and presidential directives restricting diversity programs and services for undocumented immigrants.
Organizations have 10 days to provide evidence of compliance with Trump’s executive orders to restore funding.
The funding pause affects approximately $120 million in grant funding across seven states, with about $20 million potentially withheld from Planned Parenthood facilities in 12 states.
Health providers warn the funding suspension could reduce access to preventive care services like cancer screenings, STI testing, and contraception for low-income Americans.

Federal Funding Holds Target Multiple Organizations

The Department of Health and Human Services has temporarily suspended $27.5 million in federal funding to 16 organizations providing family planning services through the Title X program. At least 11 Planned Parenthood affiliates are among those affected, with the funding hold impacting all Title X recipients in seven states. The notices cite potential violations of federal civil rights laws and Trump’s executive orders as reasons for the suspension, specifically mentioning concerns about diversity programs and services for undocumented immigrants.

The compliance investigation appears linked to executive orders signed by President Trump targeting programs that consider race in their decision-making processes. While the administration has not specified exactly which laws or executive orders are under investigation, the notices give organizations just 10 days to provide evidence of compliance. The funding pause involves approximately $120 million in total grant funding, with about $20 million potentially withheld from Planned Parenthood facilities across 12 states.

As a dedicated advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion, I am deeply troubled by the Trump administration's recent decision to freeze $27.5 million in federal family-planning grants to organizations like Planned Parenthood. This action, purportedly to investigate the use of… pic.twitter.com/b1j1yvDr4V

— Rep. Jonathan L. Jackson (@rep_jackson) March 26, 2025

Administration Cites Fiscal Accountability

While no final decisions have been made on permanent funding changes, the Trump administration’s approach reflects an emphasis on fiscal accountability. The Department of Health and Human Services, which is currently undergoing layoffs, is reviewing funding allocations across multiple programs. Republicans have long criticized federal funding for Planned Parenthood, which provides various healthcare services including abortions, though federal law already restricts taxpayer funding for most abortion procedures.

“No final decisions on any spending changes for Planned Parenthood have been made,” according to a statement by Health and Human Services.

The funding pause bypassed the formal rulemaking process typically used for major policy changes. During Trump’s first administration, similar restrictions were imposed through Title X rule changes that prohibited providers from discussing or referring for abortions. That approach led many grantees to leave the program in protest, resulting in a significant reduction in services. The Biden administration later reversed those rules in 2021, though the Title X network has not fully recovered its previous capacity.

Healthcare Access Concerns

Health providers have expressed alarm over the potential impact on low-income Americans who rely on these services. Planned Parenthood and other affected organizations provide contraception, cancer screenings, and STI testing to millions of patients nationwide. State-level providers like Maine Family Planning and Missouri Family Health Council report that the funding suspension threatens their ability to maintain essential healthcare services and are considering legal action to secure the withheld funds.

President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Action Fund Alexis McGill Johnson said, “We know what happens when health care providers cannot use Title X funding. People across the country suffer, cancers go undetected, access to birth control is severely reduced, and the nation’s STI crisis worsens.”

Health policy experts warn that the current funding suspension could have more significant impacts than previous restrictions due to the elimination of Roe v. Wade protections. Planned Parenthood Great Plains and other regional affiliates have committed to continuing services despite funding uncertainties but acknowledge that reduced resources will limit their capacity to serve patients. The National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association argues that providers are being penalized for following previous administration guidelines.