An estimated 150,000 Pro-Lifers gathered in Washington, D.C. on Friday for the annual March for Life. (Credit: Caroline Gutman for The New York Times)

Tens of thousands braved the bitter cold on Friday in Washington, D.C. for the 53rd National March for Life. The March for Life is a peaceful, joyful rally of women, men, young people and children from across the country and the globe who believe the fundamental moral truth that unborn babies should be protected from abortion.

The March for Life remembers the tragic Roe v. Wade decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in 1973 legalizing abortion in all 50 states and the more than 66 million babies who have lost their lives to abortion since.

And although we celebrate the overturning of Roe with the Dobbs decision in 2022, we grieve that abortion is the leading cause of death in our world, nation and State of Texas.

Government & Church Leaders Addressed the March

President Trump “Every Child is a Gift from God”

There is much to rejoice about the March which began with a Rally featuring inspiring speakers and music on the National Mall before proceeding from the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History to the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Attendees were thrilled to hear powerful pro-life messages from President Trump, Vice President JD Vance and members of the U.S. Congress, including House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana and Representative Chris Smith of New Jersey.

In President Trump’s video address, he pointed out that six years ago, he was proud to be the first U.S. President in history to attend the March for Life in person.

President Trump touted that since then, during his first and second terms, his Administration has “made unprecedented strides to protect innocent life and support the institution of the family” by:

  • appointing pro-life judges and justices that led to the Dobbs decision —  “the greatest victory in [the pro-life movement’s] history.”
  • strongly defending religious liberty.
  • blocking forced taxpayer funding of abortion domestically and abroad.
  • championing faith-based adoption.
  • supporting parents with a $1,000 investment for their newborn baby with the “Trump Accounts” initiative.

 

President Trump closed by promising his administration “will continue to fight for the eternal truth that every child is a gift from God.”

Vice President JD Vance

 

Vice President JD Vance greeted marchers by proudly stating that his very first speech as Vice President was last year at the 2025 March for Life. He stressed that building a culture of life requires persuading our fellow Americans that “life is worthy of protection”. He also joyfully announced that he and Second Lady Usha Vance are expecting their fourth baby, a boy.

Vice President Vance reinforced President Trump’s examples of how their Administration has fought for the pro-life cause, assuring the crowd: “You have an ally in the White House.” He also lauded other bold actions occurring just last week that demonstrate the Trump-Vance Administration’s priority to uphold the sanctity of human life, including:

  • U.S. Small Business Administration launched fraud investigations into $88 million of federal taxpayer dollars for Covid-era loans unlawfully received by Planned Parenthood and unlawfully forgiven during the Biden Administration

 

 

  • U.S. Department of State finalized an historic expansion of the Mexico City Policy banning U.S. taxpayer dollar funding to foreign Non-Governmental Organizations that perform, promote or discuss abortion

Vice President Vance concluded his remarks by acknowledging what he called the “Elephant in the Room” — the pro-life sentiment that not enough progress has been made by the Trump-Vance Administration to end abortion — and with this encouraging statement:

“My friends, I’d ask you to look at where the fight for life stood just one decade ago, and now look where it stands today. We have made tremendous strides over the last year, and we’re going to continue to make strides over the next three years to come.” (See “Pro-Life Movement Frustrated by Administration’s Lack of Progress” below)

Pope Leo

Pope Leo XIV blesses one of the tiniest members of his flock on All Saints Day’ 2025.

The marchers erupted with palpable jubilance upon hearing a heartfelt greeting and message of encouragement from the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, to young people in particular, to continue working to ensure that life is respected and protected in all its stages “through appropriate efforts at every level of society, including dialogue with civil and political leaders.”

The Friends of Club 21 Choir Brought Boundless Joy!

The Friends of Club 21 Choir, a chorus of young adults with Down syndrome.

 

A touching performance of the National Anthem by the Friends of Club 21 Choir, a talented, joyful ensemble of young adults with Down syndrome, further inspired the crowd. The Colorado-based nonprofit choir affirms the value of every human life through music and witness. The vision of Friends of Club 21 is that every individual with Down syndrome would flourish into his or her full potential and live an abundant life.

 

Pro-Life Movement Frustrated by Administration’s Lack of Progress — Chemical Abortion and Hyde Amendment Top Two Concerns

As acknowledged by Vice President Vance in his parting words at the March and a New York Times article published the day of the March, the pro-life side feels a “gnawing sense of frustration” that not enough action has been taken by the Administration in President Trump’s second term on the issue of abortion.

Council for Life has reported repeatedly about the proliferation of the chemical abortion drug mifepristone in the post-Roe era causing abortion numbers to go up. Abortion is the leading cause of death in the U.S. with 1.1 million babies killed every year by abortion.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) originally recognized the dangers of chemical abortion drugs. But during the Obama and Biden Administrations, commonsense safety regulations to protect women, including in-person doctor visits and gestational age confirmation via ultrasound, were lifted.

Planned Parenthood, abortion doctors and other providers now sell chemical abortion pills through telehealth and online platforms. Women receive the abortion pills in the mail without adequate instructions and often experience medical complications such as hemorrhaging or sepsis, ending up in the Emergency Room. Strong pro-life state laws like in Texas are being circumvented because of illegal trafficking of chemical abortion drugs into the state. (See Council for Life News HERE, HERE and HERE)

Despite studies evidencing the inherent dangers to women from chemical abortion pills, the FDA has not pulled the drug from the market or, at a minimum, restored the critical regulatory restrictions.

Last Fall, the FDA even approved a generic version of the abortion pill. This month, as Congress debated health care subsidies, President Trump told House Republicans they would “have to be a little flexible” on the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits federal taxpayer funding for abortion.

In a press call just before this year’s March for Life, Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser stated safeguarding the Hyde Amendment and reinstatement of stronger restrictions on mifepristone were “the No. 1 and No. 2 priorities of the pro-life movement” for policy goals.

In response to Vice President Vance’s remarks immediately after the March, Dannenfelser issued a statement expressing her profound disappointment:

Prayer is Essential

Last week’s March for Life provided the chance to gather in prayer for the souls of those lost to abortion and for laws and policies that end the violent destruction of unborn babies and tremendous harm to women caused by abortion.

As we move forward, we must feel an urgency to bring the moral evil of abortion before our Heavenly Father and pray for hearts and minds of our government leaders and all Americans to be transformed to protect innocent life in the womb.

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