The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has stopped providing abortions to veterans, including in cases of rape or incest, after a Department of Justice (DOJ) memo concluded the practice was not legally sound. The move marks the latest step by the Trump administration to dismantle a Biden-era policy that had allowed the procedure for the first time.
The previous policy, introduced after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade in 2022, permitted VA to offer counselling and abortion services to veterans and their families when a pregnancy resulted from rape or incest, or when the veteran's health was at risk. In August, the administration filed paperwork to formalise the rollback, a process that is still ongoing. The VA network comprises more than 1,300 healthcare facilities and treats nearly 10 million veterans each year.
"DOJ's opinion states that VA is not legally authorized to provide abortions, and VA is complying with it immediately," said Peter Kasperowicz, VA press secretary, in an emailed statement. "DOJ's opinion is consistent with VA's proposed rule."
Screenshots of an internal VA memo, circulated on 22 December and obtained by the advocacy group Democracy Forward, indicate that the changes "do not prohibit providing care to pregnant women in life-threatening circumstances", including miscarriages, ectopic pregnancies or when "the veteran's clinician determines … the care necessary to save a veteran's life". The VA did not respond to follow-up questions about the memo.
"Denying veterans essential health care and abortion access – even in cases of rape or serious health risk – after they have sacrificed so much for our country is callous and inhumane," said Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward. More than a dozen states have banned virtually all abortions since the Supreme Court overturned Roe, and over half of female veterans live in states that ban or are likely to ban abortion, according to the National Partnership for Women & Families.
The news was first reported by MS Now.
