President Trump is freezing millions of dollars in federal funding for Planned Parenthood, leaving Democrats seething over a blow to the biggest abortion provider in America.

The freeze impacting $120 million for Planned Parenthood and its affiliates is part of a governmentwide campaign against Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).

As reported by the Wall Street Journal, the Health and Human Services Department is pausing funding through Title X, which provides subsidized family planning services such as contraception and pregnancy screenings to poor people.

Trump targets Planned Parenthood

Planned Parenthood was set to receive $20 million through Title X this year.

The administration is pausing roughly half the $240 million made available for Title X services this year, pending a review of recipients' DEI policies. The funding could be rescinded entirely, the Journal noted.

It's another gesture of goodwill from Trump to pro-life advocates, some of whom were skeptical of his 2024 campaign, which saw Trump compromise on abortion and prioritize other issues like the border. Since returning to Washington, Trump has taken several steps to show support for the pro-life cause, such as pardoning activists who were convicted under the Biden administration of blocking abortion clinics.

Despite being the largest abortion provider in the nation, Planned Parenthood has long denied using any federal dollars on abortion. Federal funding for abortion is illegal under the Hyde Amendment.

Planned Parenthood often responds to critics by pointing to other services it provides, such as contraception and treatment for sexually transmitted infections.

Since money is fungible, anti-abortion advocates have often argued that programs like Title X indirectly support the abortion industry.

Planned Parenthood reacts

The news of Trump's pause of Title X funding sparked alarm from Planned Parenthood and Democrats in Congress, who called it an attack on health care.

"The Trump-Vance-Musk administration wants to shut down Planned Parenthood health centers by any means necessary, and they’ll end people’s access to birth control, cancer screenings, STI testing and treatment and more to do it," Planned Parenthood CEO Alex McGill Johnson said.

Defunding Planned Parenthood has long been a goal of the conservative movement, and with Trump and Elon Musk making aggressive government cuts through DOGE, the pro-life movement is feeling emboldened.

Hundreds of pro-life activists gathered outside the U.S. Capitol on Thursday to demand an end to federal funding of Planned Parenthood. Some Republican lawmakers were there to show their support.

“American taxpayers should never be forced to pay for the murder of innocent babies. But that’s exactly what Congress has allowed to happen,” Rep. Andy Biggs (Az.) said.

“In 2022-2023, during the Biden-Harris regime, Planned Parenthood received nearly $700 million in taxpayer funding," he noted.