Active-duty troops and veterans flood Trump administration website over cuts to abortion care

Source: The Independent

Wednesday 03 September 2025 18:10 BST


Hundreds of active-duty and retired service members have pleaded with Donald Trump’s administration to stop a far-reaching plan to end abortion care and counseling for American veterans.

The proposal would eliminate access to this medical care for veterans through the federal government’s health system, even in instances of rape, incest or to protect the health of the patient — coverage that has been available to veterans and their beneficiaries for nearly three years.

The rule change would apply to all those receiving care through the Department of Veterans Affairs, even those living in more than a dozen states where abortion care is legally protected and a constitutional right.

More than 20,000 people submitted public comments in response to the rule change — including thousands of objections from veterans, their family members and abortion rights advocates. “I am a veteran of the US Army and if this rule was in place I wouldn’t have joined,” one person wrote.

Read more: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/veterans-active-duty-troops-trump-abortion-va-cuts-b2819457.html