The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) purchased $9.7 million worth of contraceptives—including pills, implants, and IUDs—intended for women in low-income countries, especially in Africa.
However, in January 2025, President Trump froze all foreign aid for a 90-day review, leaving the supplies stuck in a Belgium warehouse.
Despite offers from groups like the U.N.
Population Fund to redistribute the contraceptives, the U.S. government is choosing to burn them, spending over $160,000 on transport and incineration.
This decision has alarmed officials in Brussels and France, who are trying to confirm the supplies' status and prevent their destruction.
The U.S. State has not explained the decision to destroy the products or clarified their location.
While the products were labeled “abortifacient” by some reports, experts confirm none induce abortion, and USAID is legally barred from purchasing such products.
Now, many worry this move could have serious consequences, including a potential full US ban on birth control, even though contraception is currently legal.
