The Movement: FDA mifepristone blow jolts anti-abortion strategy

To anti-abortion activists who worked diligently to help President Trump win in 2024 and deliver a Republican trifecta, the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) decision last week to approve a generic version of mifepristone — a pill used in medication abortions — was a slap in the face.

The “pro-life” community is well aware that in the aftermath of the Dobbs decision, it’s not prudent politics to take a purist stance on issues like a national abortion ban. And they understand issues like in vitro fertilization can divide “pro-life” activists and lawmakers.

This was different.

Abortion pills are at the center of the fight over abortion and the movement’s top policy issue on the federal level — and the FDA issued the approval even as Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is “conducting a study of the reported adverse effects of mifepristone to ensure the FDA’s risk mitigation program for the drug is sufficient to protect women from unstated risks.”

“The most disappointing thing about the approval of the generic abortion drug is that it’s a reversal of what Secretary Kennedy has said himself. He said in a congressional committee hearing that the Biden administration twisted the data — his words, twisted the data — around the abortion pill,” Noah Brandt, the vice president of communications at Live Action, told me.

Organizations that had been messaging positively about the Trump administration are now getting more critical, with the thinking being that negative public pressure can jolt the Trump administration into delivering on other priorities. Live Action, for instance, led a letter of 25 anti-abortion groups seeking reversal of the decision.

“The FDA made a huge error, huge misstep here. … This is not MAGA, this is not MAHA,” Kelsey Pritchard, political communications director at Susan B. Anthony (SBA) Pro-Life America, said, adding that the approval makes it easier to get abortion pills through the mail in defiance of state laws. She hopes “that by pointing this out and calling this a huge misstep, that they will see how serious this is and reverse course.”

Students for Life of America President Kristan Hawkins called the FDA’s approval a “stain” on the Trump presidency — and Kristi Hamrick, the organization’s vice president of media and policy, told me there could be “a deep state problem at the FDA.”

“We’re going to need to see President Trump be more engaged on this if the FDA is incapable of a real review,” Hamrick said, balking at “how inexplicable it is to allow more of a drug on the market that you are actively saying could be problematic.”

But it’s a delicate balance for the anti-abortion crusaders who have a rare opportunity to secure wins in a Republican trifecta. Others in the space are privately advocating for remaining in close contact with administration’s allies and providing them data, while also providing public support for anti-abortion policies and giving the administration cover.

In “abortion pill” pregnancy terminations, mifepristone — which blocks production of the hormone progesterone needed for pregnancy — is typically taken along with misoprostol, which induces uterine cramping. It is also used in some cases to manage early miscarriages.

Last week’s approval of the Evita Solutions generic mifepristone marks the second generic version of the drug approved by the FDA.

An HHS spokesperson said that the FDA has “very limited discretion in deciding whether to approve a generic drug” and must do so if it’s identical to the brand-name drug. They also noted generic applicants are not required to provide new evidence proving safety and effectiveness, and that the FDA does not endorse any drug.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has echoed those points in recent public statements, as did White House spokesperson Kush Desai when I reached out: “The FDA has limited discretion in drug approvals, and must, by law, approve a generic drug if it is demonstrably similar to a brand-name drug. The FDA’s approval should not be seen as the Administration’s endorsement of the drug, and HHS continues its study into the reported adverse effects of mifepristone.”

That’s not helping smooth things over.

“I just do not buy the idea that their hands were tied and they had to do it,” one anti-abortion activist told me, granted anonymity to speak candidly.

There’s also a sense of frustration with the political position the anti-abortion activists are in. With virtually no support from Democrats, all the opportunity in securing wins for their causes rests with the Republican trifecta and Trump administration.

“Where else are we going to go?” the anti-abortion activist said — before warning that trying to appease people who are in the middle or in favor of abortion rights will not work because those activists will criticize Trump and Republicans “no matter what they say or do.”

Pritchard of SBA Pro-Life America warned that it would be a mistake for Republicans to take the anti-abortion base for granted.

“Republicans should remember that they can’t win elections without pro-life voters,” Pritchard said. “We’re such a huge block of voters in this country, and a very important part to how Republicans win every year.”

At the top of SBA’s priority list is getting HHS to reverse Biden-era regulations that increased access to mail-order abortion pills. “We really think it’s an easy lift,” Pritchard said.

Others are willing to wait for that mail-order abortion pill rule change until HHS conducts its review of mifepristone, in hopes that a robust review could lay the groundwork for reversing the approval of the drug.

But some of those activists would be incensed if it takes until after the midterm elections to release the mifepristone review, wanting to see more immediate progress on their anti-abortion priorities.

Melanie Israel, a visiting fellow at the Heritage Foundation, said the structure of that HHS review is critical — and not much is known about its structure yet.

“It can’t be an exercise where you simply ask the same unnamed, anonymous bureaucrats that got us into this mess in the first place to essentially go back and check their work and rubber-stamp it,” Israel said. “We would want to see the FDA looking at real-world data, not selected reporting of whatever the pill manufacturers choose to share.”

Jennie Bradley Lichter, president of the March for Life (which just announced a 2026 featured speaker who says she started a medication abortion, then reversed it), also pointed to the importance of HHS delivering a thorough mifepristone review.

“There are some valid questions to be asked about why that approval had to happen now, but even crediting the administration’s explanation, it just makes it all the more critical for them to complete the safety study that’s been promising,” Lichter said.

Welcome to The Movement, a weekly newsletter looking at the influences and debates steering politics on the right in Washington. I’m Emily Brooks, House leadership reporter at The Hill.

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CALLS TO CANCEL NETFLIX

The latest victim of conservative cancel culture is Netflix, with hoards of right-wing influencers pushing followers to end their subscriptions to the streaming service.

Elon Musk is leading the charge, promoting Chaya Raichik’s “LibsofTikTok,” conservative commentator Benny Johnson, and others who are speaking out against kids shows that picture transgender characters and themes. My colleague Dominick Mastrangelo with more here: Elon Musk digs in on ‘Cancel Netflix’ crusade…

Will it work? Let’s look at some history.

Netflix faced another cancellation crusade after it released “Cuties,” a 2020 French film about an 11-year-old Muslim girl who joins a twerking dance group. Outraged commentators said the film — and its promotional materials — inappropriately hypersexualized young girls; the film’s creator argued the film’s message was a critique of the hypersexualization of young girls.

A number of Republican lawmakers criticized the film, and some called for a Department of Justice investigation. A Texas jury indicted Netflix for allegedly promoting and distributing inappropriate depictions of children for no artistic value, but the case was later dropped.

Netflix did withdraw and apologize for a promotional poster for the film, but not much else changed. An initial spike in cancellations “burned out after a few days,” Variety reported — and the film stayed on Netflix until its distribution agreement ended in 2024.

ANTONI YANKED AND BLS IN LIMBO

The White House pulled President Trump’s nomination of Heritage Foundation economist E.J. Antoni’s nomination to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) last week. Trump had fired the agency’s previous head after accusing her of rigging jobs numbers, and Antoni was seen as a Steve Bannon-boosted loyalist.

But even beyond the concerns of Trump politicizing critical BLS data, there was plenty of concern about Antoni’s credentials from both the left and the right. Some were unnerved by Antoni telling Fox News before his nomination that the BLS should suspend monthly jobs reports as it pushes for “more accurate” data.

It certainly didn’t help that CNN’s KFile reported on Antoni’s since-deleted account on Twitter — now known as the social platform X — that “featured sexually degrading attacks on Kamala Harris, derogatory remarks about gay people, conspiracy theories, and crude insults aimed at critics of President Donald Trump.”

Antoni in a statement appeared to put the blame on GOP senators for his nomination not succeeding.

“It is unfortunate that there are elected officials who lack the courage to support this commonsense agenda of real change in Washington,” he said.

He will continue at the Heritage Foundation, which Heritage President Kevin Roberts said is “very proud to have him on our team” while praising his “immense capabilities and insightful economic analysis.”

The question now: Who can fulfill Trump’s expectations at BLS and also get the support needed from Congress? If you have any ideas, send them my way: ebrooks@thehill.com

ON MY CALENDAR

Tuesday, Oct. 7: The Hill’s Health Next Summit, with speakers including Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) and Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.).

Wednesday, Oct. 8: Breitbart News and the American Beverage Association (ABA) host a discussion on “Improving Health, Strengthening the American Economy” at 9:00 a.m., featuring Rep. Barry Moore (R-Ala.); Moms for America’s Emily Stack; ABA’s Kevin Keane; and Breitbart’s Alex Marlow, 9:00 a.m. at the Riggs.

Wednesday, Oct. 8: Advancing American Freedom hosts former Sen. Phil Gramm (R-Texas) on Capitol Hill for an “Econ Policy for Dummies” breakfast, 9 a.m.

Thursday, Oct. 9: The Nestpoint Foundation hosts its inaugural American Exceptionalism Awards Gala at the Kennedy Center.

THREE MORE THINGS

Heritage Foundation and Heritage Action President Kevin Roberts is circulating this statement to White House and Capitol Hill leadership on the shutdown standoff: “Weeks after Speaker Mike Johnson and House Republicans passed a clean continuing resolution, Democrats—under the ‘leadership’ of Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries—are continuing their embarrassing tantrum. Shutting down the government over health care for illegal aliens isn’t some noble stand; it’s a sabotage of the mandate the American people gave to President Trump in November. This sad attempt to revive rock-bottom poll numbers and stave off primary challenges from socialists in their party won’t end well for them. The House has acted. It’s time for Senate Democrats to save themselves from their leadership and end their government shutdown.”

The folks at the Washington Examiner have got to love Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) holding up a March cover of their magazine at a press conference today, picturing Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) running away from other Democrats. “I just had this on my desk in a big stack and I found it,” Johnson said. That cover story from political journalist Alexander Nazaryan here.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) is pressing Wikipedia for more information about how it maintains its information and addresses ideological bias, my colleague Julia Shapiro reports. As I noted in The Movement last week, you’ll know Wikipedia co-founder Larry Sanger, who left the site soon after its 2001 founding and has been critical of it since, released a lengthy proposal on how to reform the site. Sanger also sat down with Tucker Carlson.