Trump Official Accused PEPFAR of Funding Abortions in Russia. It Wasn’t True.
Context:
Russell Vought, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, falsely claimed that PEPFAR, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, funded abortions in Russia, despite the program not operating there since 2012. His allegation, made during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, was intended to support budget cuts to global health programs, but it was quickly debunked by multiple sources. Both JSI Research & Training Institute and MSI Reproductive Choices, organizations named in the allegations, denied any involvement in such activities, and government databases confirmed the funds were used elsewhere. The misleading accusation had implications for Senate votes and could damage PEPFAR, a program credited with saving millions of lives. Former PEPFAR leaders expressed outrage, noting the ease with which these false claims could be disproven and highlighting that U.S. laws strictly prohibit federal funding for abortions.
Dive Deeper:
Russell Vought, during a Senate hearing, wrongly accused PEPFAR of spending $9.3 million to aid Russian doctors in performing abortions, despite PEPFAR not operating in Russia since 2012 due to the expulsion of USAID by President Putin.
His statement aimed to justify budget cuts to global health programs but was met with immediate backlash, as PEPFAR has bipartisan support and is responsible for saving an estimated 26 million lives since its inception in 2003 under President George W. Bush.
The allegations against PEPFAR included naming JSI Research & Training Institute and MSI Reproductive Choices as involved in abortion-related activities, which both organizations categorically denied, stating that the funds were used for healthcare projects in Ethiopia instead.
The claims were easily disproven by multiple government databases, and PEPFAR's former leaders expressed their outrage, emphasizing the stringent checks in place to prevent misuse of funds for abortions, which are illegal under U.S. law.
Despite the allegations being unfounded, the incident had potential repercussions for the Senate's decision on proposed budget cuts, and it highlighted the risks of spreading misinformation about well-established global health initiatives.