Advancing American Freedom, a conservative nonprofit led by former Vice President Mike Pence, has called on Elon Musk, head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), to defund Planned Parenthood. In a letter dated February 11, 2025, the organization’s president, Tim Chapman, emphasized the urgency of defunding the nation’s largest abortion provider.
According to a Government Accountability Office report, Planned Parenthood received approximately $75 billion in federal funding between 2019 and 2021. This includes $22 billion in Health and Human Services grants and $53 billion from public health programs. The Charlotte Lozier Institute’s 2022-2023 annual report indicates that taxpayer dollars constitute 34% of Planned Parenthood’s funding.
In January 2025, President Donald Trump reinstated the Mexico City Policy, prohibiting federal funding to international non-governmental organizations that perform or promote abortions. He also signed an executive order enforcing the Hyde Amendment, preventing federal funds from being used for elective abortions. These actions reversed previous policies under the Biden administration that had expanded access to abortion services.
The Biden-Harris administration had increased support for Planned Parenthood following the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022. During a one-year span, the organization received $700 million in federal funds and performed a record number of abortions, while other major services declined.
Advancing American Freedom’s letter to Musk underscores the belief that defunding Planned Parenthood aligns with the mission of DOGE to eliminate wasteful federal spending. The organization urges immediate action to redirect funds away from abortion services.
