The Trump administration has terminated tens of millions of dollars in federal grants for organizations providing teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection prevention programs. The funding cuts, issued in June, affected a range of providers, including Planned Parenthood chapters and health departments in Democrat-led states, as well as conservative Christian groups and nonprofits in Republican-led states such as Texas, South Carolina, and Mississippi. White House spokesperson Allison Schuster stated the administration is redirecting funds to "properly promote healthy lifestyles" and move away from what it characterized as "harmful materials."
The cuts targeted the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program, a federal initiative that has historically funded various educational approaches. While the administration previously indicated it was targeting grants in states that did not vote for President Trump in 2024, the recent terminations included organizations that utilize abstinence-only curricula. Grantees reported receiving letters accusing their programs of "normalizing sexual activity for minors," a claim many recipients dispute.
In response to the cuts, a coalition including health clinics, the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States, and local governments from Hennepin County, Minnesota, and King County, Washington, filed a lawsuit. The plaintiffs argue the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is violating congressional instructions by mandating non-evidence-based curricula that focus exclusively on abstinence. HHS defended the move in a July legal filing, stating that Congress did not prohibit the type of programming the administration is now requiring.
For the individuals involved, these cuts mean a loss of access to health literacy classes and reproductive health counseling that proponents credit with contributing to a 68 percent decrease in teen pregnancy rates over the last decade. Depending on the provider, students may notice the immediate cancellation of fall programs or a shift in curriculum to "body literacy" and "reproductive life goals" that exclude information on contraception and gender identity. Small nonprofits and local health departments face significant financial strain, with some reporting they lack the staff to even reapply for the new, restricted grant cycle due to immediate layoffs.
The policy sets a precedent for how executive agencies can redefine the criteria for congressionally authorized programs to align with specific ideological priorities, such as the administration's 2025 executive orders against "gender ideology." The outcome of the ongoing legal challenges will determine whether the administration has the authority to mandate abstinence-only education as a condition for federal support. A D.C. court was scheduled to hear arguments regarding a challenge to these cuts on a Thursday in August 2026. Grantees who chose to reapply under the new, stricter guidelines did so in July, while others have opted out entirely.