And so it begins: Trump’s attacks on health, rights and the environment

Donald Trump was inaugurated as President of the United States on January 20, 2025. Advocates for human rights, social justice, and the environment had been bracing themselves for an onslaught of harmful policies in the first few days of his presidency, and Trump delivered.

Trump signed over 20 executive actions on Inauguration Day alone — more than any previous US president. He also began systematically rescinding policies enacted by former president Joe Biden to curb greenhouse gas emissions, protect nature, remove barriers to healthcare, and improve DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion).

Here’s a roundup of Trump’s most worrying actions on health, rights, and the environment so far.

(Reproductive) health and rights

Reinstatement of the Global Gag Rule

On Friday, after a televised address pandering to anti-choice campaigners at a march in Washington, DC, Trump signed an executive action reinstating the devastating Global Gag Rule. This policy blocks US foreign assistance for organizations abroad that provide abortion services, counseling, or referrals, or that advocate to decriminalize abortion, even when those activities are funded by their own money.

Trump’s implementation of the Global Gag Rule is the most extreme in US history, implicating the entirety of US global health assistance, and threatens the lives of millions of women and girls around the world.

Rejoining the Geneva Consensus Declaration

Trump’s administration also rejoined the so-called “Geneva Consensus Declaration” on Friday, a pact between 30 or so mostly authoritarian governments intended to undermine sexual and reproductive health and rights around the world — particularly access to safe abortion.

The Geneva Consensus Declaration was launched by the first Trump administration in 2020. While it is supposed to sound like a legitimate international agreement, it is not related to the United Nations (UN). The pact seeks to restrict access and support for abortions by stating that there is no international right to abortion and that countries don’t have any obligation to finance or facilitate it.

Freeze on all foreign assistance

Trump issued a barbaric executive order suspending all US foreign assistance for 90 days, pending a review of whether aid programs align with his foreign policy goals. US foreign assistance provides life-saving support to the most vulnerable countries and areas, and totaled around $70 billion in fiscal year 2023 (which equates to just 1 percent of federal spending). As Congress has already appropriated funding for many programs, it is still unclear how much assistance will be affected within this 90-day period and beyond.

Suspension of federal assistance

Similarly, a White House memorandum issued last night orders a spending freeze on all federal assistance pending a review of whether disbursements are in line with Trump’s policies. The action caused widespread shock and confusion and could affect everything from aid to nonprofits, education, small business loans, and state and local government grants. In 2024, $3 trillion was spent on federal assistance programs. A federal judge paused the enforcement of the directive until next Monday afternoon to allow for further litigation.

Withdrawal from WHO

On his first day, Trump withdrew the US from the World Health Organization (WHO), the UN agency working to expand access to health services and that guides the international response to health emergencies, such as pandemics. The US is one of the largest contributors to WHO, which now stands to lose around 15 percent of its funding as a result of the country’s withdrawal.

Other attacks on health and rights

On Friday, Trump also directed federal prosecutors to scale back enforcement of the 1994 Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, which makes it illegal to harm, threaten, or interfere with a person obtaining reproductive health services, or to damage reproductive healthcare facilities. The previous day, Trump announced that he would pardon a group of 23 anti-abortion activists convicted of blockading a Washington, DC, clinic in October 2020.

Trump also ordered executive branch departments and agencies to eliminate DEI programs, and revoked several policies aimed at preventing gender and sex discrimination, respecting LGBTQ rights and identities, preparing for future pandemics, and making health insurance and medication more accessible and affordable.

Climate change and the environment

Withdrawal from the Paris Agreement

Trump’s day one actions included withdrawing the US from the Paris Agreement (again), the major international climate treaty that aims to limit global warming. The Paris Agreement requires member states to commit to national emissions reductions plans. The US withdrawal also blocks the transfer of US funds previously pledged to help developing nations deal with the impacts of the climate crisis.

Declaring a “national energy emergency”

Flaunting his outright disdain for climate action, Trump also declared a “national energy emergency,” a measure intended to distract from the climate emergency and ramp up national exploitation of fossil fuels.

The executive order also states that the Endangered Species Act cannot be an obstacle to energy development, which will increase the assault on species threatened by fossil fuel development.

Pushing for drilling in the Arctic

Repeating what he did in his previous term, Trump has again opened the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to oil and gas exploration. ANWR is a roughly 19-million acre protected wilderness area in Alaska with immeasurable ecological value. Trump is restoring fossil fuel leases that were suspended by former President Biden.

The executive order also reverses Biden’s ban on the cruelest hunting practices in Alaska’s national preserves, including baiting bears and killing wolf pups in their dens, and decrees that federal law should give way to state law on federal lands where hunting and trapping occur.

Blocking renewable energy

Trump also scrapped Biden’s policies to boost electric vehicle development and purchases, and issued a memo blocking all offshore wind development as well as onshore turbines built with public funds or on public lands. On Friday, Trump’s Department of Interior ordered a 60-day suspension of permits for all renewable energy projects on federal lands.

What’s next?

These harmful actions are likely only the beginning of Trump 2.0’s damaging legacy. Reproductive rights and environmental advocates including Population Connection and our sister organization, Population Connection Action Fund, will fight back every step of the way. Join us today and support our work towards a better future in which bodily autonomy and nature are protected.