$5,000, Scholarships, Medals: Why Trump Is Pushing Women To Have More Babies

The Trump administration is spearheading a movement to boost America’s plummeting birth rate and revive traditional family values, sparking a new culture war in Washington. At the heart of this initiative are proposals aimed at incentivising marriage and childbirth, signaling a significant shift towards making family growth a national priority, per the New York Times.

The issue has become major after economists and social policy experts warned that failing fertility rates can lead to long-term economic risks and risks the strain of an aging American population with shrinking workforce.

These proposals range from offering cash “baby bonuses” to new mothers to providing special scholarship benefits for married applicants.

One proposal suggests a one-time $5,000 “baby bonus” for every new mother, while another recommends reserving 30% of prestigious Fulbright scholarships for married applicants or parents. Symbolic recognitions, such as a “National Medal of Motherhood” for women with six or more children, enhanced child tax credits, access to in vitro fertilisation (IVF) subsidies, have also been proposed. These ideas reflect the administration’s efforts to tie family expansion to national renewal, a theme championed by figures like Vice President JD Vance and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

Key Proposals:

– Baby Bonuses: One-time $5,000 payment for every new mother
– Scholarship Benefits: Reserving 30% of Fulbright scholarships for married applicants or parents
– National Medal of Motherhood: Symbolic recognition for women with six or more children
– IVF Subsidies: Enhanced access to in vitro fertilisation
– Menstrual Cycle Education: Government-funded programs to educate women on ovulation patterns

Vance, a father of three, has been vocal about promoting pro-family rhetoric, calling for “more babies in the United States of America” at events like the March for Life. Musk, who has fathered 12 children, has warned that civilisation risks collapse if people don’t have more children. Trump himself has embraced the label of “fertilisation president” and has called for a “new baby boom” in public remarks.

“We will support baby booms and we will support baby bonuses for a new baby boom. I want a baby boom”, he said.

The administration’s push for larger families has drawn both support and criticism. Conservative pronatalists see this as an opportunity to promote traditional family values, while advocates for inclusivity in family policy warn that these ideas prioritise a narrow definition of family, leaving out queer parents, adoptive families, single parents, and individuals who don’t conform to traditional gender norms.

Some experts, like Eve Feinberg, a fertility specialist at Northwestern University, have called these approaches more ideological than scientific. However, Feinberg welcomes increased funding for reproductive health research and infertility care, saying, “Women’s health has been underfunded for so long”, she told the New York Times.

According to experts, when families feel financially secure, they are more likely to start and grow their families. The U.S. fertility rate currently stands at 1.62 births per woman, below the replacement level of 2.1.

The administration’s consideration of these proposals reflects a broader effort to address declining birth rates in the United States. While it’s unclear how many of these ideas will be formalised into policy, the White House is actively soliciting input and listening to different perspectives.