The Federal Drug Administration’s (FDA) unpublicised decision to approve a generic version of the abortion drug mifepristone resulted in the White House becoming a target of severe criticism from anti-abortion groups. They accused Trump of failing to take visible action regarding abortion restrictions since the 2024 elections.

In late September, the FDA approved a request from Evita Solutions to manufacture mifepristone pills, making it the third company in the US allowed to manufacture the drug. A branded version of the pill was first approved in 2000, with a generic version approved in 2019. The FDA explained that its review of the drug is directed by scientific evidence and established safety standards, independent from political considerations and pressures.

However, the approval increases the supply of anti-abortion drugs for women, essentially countering the abortion-restricting laws set by the United States after the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade in June 2022. This ended the constitutional right to abortion that had been in place since 1973.

According to The New York Times, two out of three of the nation’s terminations are completed using abortion drugs (mifepristone in combination with misoprostol) and the overall numbers have remained largely unchanged since the Supreme Court’s ruling.

In fact, there are more than 100 studies proving mifepristone’s safety. Yet, anti-abortion supporters continue to claim and disregard the FDA’s ability to review the drug’s safety.

Pro-choice activists have been praising the FDA for the approval of the abortion pill, highlighting the scientific and social benefits. During an interview with ABC news, Kiki Freedman, co-founder and CEO of the telemedicine abortion provider Hey Jane, said:

The FDA’s decision has been deeply divisive, resulting in a political firestorm. Students for Life Action, a youth pro-life organisation, called the FDA’s decision “a stain on Trump’s presidency”.

While abortion policies are meant to be a matter for states to decide individually, the right-wing MAGA base expects the federal government to undercut means of making abortions more accessible nationwide. The growing supply of abortion drugs goes directly against the laws set in place in right-wing states, creating further political tensions between pro-life and pro-choice activists.

Furthermore, women are using websites and networks to send abortion pills through the mail across state lines. According to the New York Times, due to Trump’s lack of action on this issue, anti-abortion groups began working on tracking abortion pills in wastewater. Their goal is to develop technology that allows them to track abortion pill use to a specific area or street.

The controversy about abortion has existed since the mid-19th century, based on religious and scientific beliefs. Abortion rights in particular have played a big part in political tensions during recent presidential elections. The FDA’s approval of this drug shows how abortion continues to be a divisive issue and exemplifies the ongoing political tensions.