Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy Target Planned Parenthood Funding

Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy have announced a sweeping plan to eliminate federal overspending, including cutting funding to progressive organizations like Planned Parenthood. Their initiative, detailed in a Wall Street Journal op-ed, outlines how the duo plans to reform government spending under the Trump administration’s proposed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

“DOGE will help end federal overspending by taking aim at the $500 billion-plus in annual federal expenditures that are unauthorized by Congress or being used in ways that Congress never intended,” Musk and Ramaswamy wrote. Targets include:

• $535 million to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

• $1.5 billion for grants to international organizations.

• Nearly $300 million in funding for progressive groups like Planned Parenthood.

The DOGE initiative seeks to reverse decades of unchecked executive overreach while tackling spending that lacks explicit Congressional authorization. Musk and Ramaswamy suggest that even within the constraints of the 1974 Impoundment Control Act, which limits a president’s ability to withhold allocated funds, their strategy can deliver significant reductions in wasteful expenditures.

Both men also believe the current Supreme Court might side with former President Trump’s view that the 1974 law is unconstitutional, opening additional pathways to limit government spending.

Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion provider, has long been a focal point for conservative criticism. According to its 2022-2023 annual report:

• Planned Parenthood performed 392,715 abortions between 2021 and 2022.

• It received $670.4 million in government funding, a $37 million increase from the prior year.

• It holds $2.3 billion in net assets.

Beyond abortion services, Planned Parenthood has expanded its offerings to include hormone therapy for attempted gender transitions, which 45 of its affiliates provided in 2022. Critics point out that such services, often supported by federal funding, further entrench progressive gender ideologies.

President Trump recently unveiled Musk and Ramaswamy as leaders of the DOGE initiative, calling them “two wonderful Americans” who will help dismantle bureaucratic inefficiency.

“Together, these two will pave the way for my Administration to dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure federal agencies,” Trump said.

The plan’s alignment with Trump’s broader policy goals signals a commitment to reduce government bloat and redirect funding toward programs that serve national interests instead of partisan agendas.

The announcement comes amid President Joe Biden’s decision to award former Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Richards, who led the organization for over a decade, was credited with increasing annual abortion numbers and expanding the group’s progressive influence.

“Through her work to defend and advance women’s reproductive rights and equality… she has carved an inspiring legacy,” Biden said.

For Musk and Ramaswamy, however, Planned Parenthood’s trajectory is emblematic of the unchecked federal spending they aim to curb. As part of their broader strategy, eliminating taxpayer funding to such organizations is a cornerstone of their effort to reduce waste and prioritize accountability.

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