The Trump administration is preparing to destroy nearly $10 million worth of U.S.-purchased contraceptives rather than deliver them to women in need overseas. The supplies, procured through USAID before its dismantling, include millions of long-lasting birth control items currently stored in a warehouse in Geel, Belgium. The move has drawn sharp backlash from aid groups, medical professionals, and foreign governments.
What’s Being Destroyed
The contraceptives slated for destruction include intrauterine devices (IUDs), birth control implants, injectable contraceptives, and hormone-based pills like levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol. According to warehouse inventory shared with CNN, most of the 5 million products expire in 2028 or later, with some as far off as 2031.
A State Department spokesperson confirmed the “preliminary decision” to destroy the supplies and said the cost of incineration would be $167,000. Because the items contain high levels of hormones, they require double incineration to prevent environmental contamination.
Policy-Driven Decision
The administration labeled the contraceptives “abortifacient birth control commodities from terminated Biden-era USAID contracts,” referencing a long-standing debate over how certain birth control methods function. While some groups argue IUDs prevent implantation of fertilized eggs and should be considered abortifacient, mainstream medical experts—including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)—reject this claim.
“There is no such thing as an abortifacient contraceptive,” ACOG stated. “By definition, contraceptives prevent pregnancy – they do not end it.”
Offers Rejected
Aid organizations tried to prevent the destruction. MSI Reproductive Choices, a nonprofit providing contraception and abortion care in over 30 countries, offered to cover the cost of shipping and repackaging the supplies. Their proposal was declined by the U.S. government without explanation.
State Department officials pointed to the “Mexico City policy,” which prohibits U.S. funding to NGOs that perform or promote abortion services. Critics call it the “global gag rule,” and they say it’s being used to block all forms of reproductive health aid, even non-abortion-related.
Diplomatic Pushback
Belgium’s foreign ministry is reportedly in talks with the U.S. to find alternatives to destruction. A French diplomatic source expressed support for preserving the supplies, stating: “Access to quality sexual and reproductive health services and products is both a human rights and a public health issue.”
Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen, who visited the warehouse through a staff representative, is now drafting legislation to block future destruction of U.S.-purchased aid unless all options for donation or sale have been exhausted.
Wider Consequences
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) joined the outcry, warning that communities once dependent on USAID supplies are already experiencing contraception shortages. The organization highlighted the risks in conflict zones like Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, where access to birth control can be a matter of life and death.
“MSF has seen firsthand the positive health benefits when women and girls can freely make their own health decisions… and the dangerous consequences when they cannot,” said MSF USA director Avril Benoît.
Reports suggest similar U.S.-branded contraceptives are also stored in a warehouse in the United Arab Emirates, but the fate of those items remains unclear. The State Department has not addressed questions regarding the UAE stockpile.
End of USAID
At the core of this issue is the Trump administration’s broader dismantling of USAID. Spearheaded by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the effort aims to bring foreign aid programs under direct State Department control. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the phase-out of USAID earlier this month, saying future assistance would reflect current administration priorities.
That shift has already led to the cancellation of thousands of aid programs, many of which provided critical health services in low-income regions. Now, the decision to incinerate millions of usable contraceptives instead of distributing them has become a flashpoint in the debate over the future of American foreign aid.
FAQs
What contraceptives are being destroyed?
IUDs, implants, injectables, and hormonal pills bought by USAID.
Why are they being destroyed?
The administration ended USAID contracts, citing policy reasons.
Can these supplies still be used?
Yes, most items expire between 2027 and 2031.
Were offers made to save the supplies?
Yes, NGOs offered to pay for shipping, but were declined.
What is the Mexico City policy?
It blocks U.S. funds to NGOs promoting or providing abortion.
