Explainers Reproductive Rights
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The Truth About Trump’s DOJ and the Abortion Pill Case
You may have read that Trump's DOJ defended medication abortion. Truth is, mifepristone is at risk and here's how.
⚡️ TL;DR (too long, didn’t read)
In the case trying to ban mifepristone nationwide, the DOJ’s recent move protects federal power—not your right to abortion.
The Missouri v. FDA case (formerly Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA) threatens to take mifepristone off the market, and what did Trump’s DOJ do? Well, they didn’t cave to the extremists’ demands but they left the door open for further attacks on mifepristone.
Add your name in support of access to medication abortion:
📝 Let’s break it down.
- The DOJ’s filing refused to affirm the decades of evidence proving that mifepristone–one of two pills commonly used in medication abortion—is safe and effective.
- Instead, their filing focused on procedural arguments that would actually help insulate the Trump administration from other lawsuits brought by states that challenge him.
🙄 You read that right. Instead of defending abortion access, the DOJ prioritized shielded the Trump administration from potential lawsuits.
🚩 Meanwhile, mifepristone is under coordinated attack from the GOP
The GOP is relentlessly pursuing their goal to ban abortion nationwide by launching a coordinated attack on mifepristone.
From lawsuits to new legislation to junk science to a new FDA review, the GOP is rapidly ramping up their decades-long effort to ban mifepristone.
Junk science and disinformation
Anti-abortion extremists published a pseudo-study filled with anti-abortion lies about mifepristone ahead of a filing deadline in Missouri v. FDA, a baseless case seeking to limit access to medication abortion nationwide. The pseudo-study perpetuates disinformation to further Project 2025’s goal of eliminating access to mifepristone.
Republicans in Congress
Republican Senator Josh Hawley (MO) introduced a bill in Congress to ban the mailing of mifepristone.
Hawley also pushed various Trump administration officials, including HHS Secretary Kennedy, to commit to “study” mifepristone’s safety in response to the anti-abortion group’s pseudo-study.
Federal agencies FDA and HHS
In response to pressure from Sen. Hawley Trump-appointed HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that he has asked FDA Commissioner Makary to conduct a “complete review” of mifepristone who followed up by publicly sharing a letter committing to do just that.
Anti-abortion extremist groups
According to a new Politico piece, anti-abortion groups are already planning on using a disinformation campaign against mifepristone to sue abortion providers and shut down clinics.
Comstock Law misuse
Meanwhile, in coordination with VP J.D. Vance, Congressional Republicans are attempting to misuse a 150-year old law called the Comstock Act to block access to both abortion pills and medical equipment used for abortion care.
🛩️ The Big Picture: The Project 2025 Plan to Ban Abortion Nationwide
Project 2025—the radical blueprint for Trump’s second term—lays out a plan to ban abortion nationwide, including medication abortion.
And now, the DOJ just gave us a preview of what that could look like: not a full-throated defense of mifepristone or our rights—but a strategic move to protect their own power.
Let’s be clear: mifepristone is still under attack. And the people who should be defending our freedom to make decisions about our bodies and lives are doing the opposite—clearing the way for a national abortion ban.
📢 Take Action!
Every attack on mifepristone is an attack on your freedom to control your own body, life, and future.
Add your name to our petition to protect mifepristone and medication abortion.
More Reading
Deep Dives Reproductive Rights
Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA Court Case
Explainers Reproductive Rights