Re: Make America procreate again: among the MAGA fertility fanatics

The Economist recently published an article on the MAGA pronatalism movement. We responded with a letter, which wasn’t published, so we are featuring it here.

We encourage all our members and supporters to make their voices heard! See our media guide for advice on how to do that.

Re: Make America procreate again: among the MAGA fertility fanatics (Thursday, November 6)

Aside from its vile misogynistic, eugenic, and xenophobic views, the far-right pronatalist movement is absurd because it opposes all the measures that are the most likely to have a boosting effect on the birthrate.

Surveys on fertility desires and outcomes, including one conducted by Population Connection last year, repeatedly show that affordability is a top limiting factor on people’s family sizes. The Trump administration has shown zero interest in making raising children more affordable, however, even going as far as withholding food aid from the neediest families. In our survey, the other major barrier to the fulfilment of people’s desired family size was concern over the state of the world. The MAGA movement only exacerbates these concerns by supporting a president who seems intent on accelerating environmental degradation, stripping away human rights, and withdrawing support from vulnerable and marginalized groups.

Instead of trying to help people have the number of kids they want, the Trump-Vance administration is going down the path of coercion, attacking abortion rights and withholding family planning services for low-income Americans through Title X cuts. And it could get worse. The Heritage Foundation (the Trump-allied group behind far-right playbook Project 2025) has a plan to increase the birthrate which involves defunding higher education and using public funds to indoctrinate children with religious beliefs.

Sincerely,

Olivia Nater
Communications Manager
Population Connection