The 52nd annual March for Life brought thousands to the Capitol on Friday to advocate for the anti-abortion movement. The event comes three years after the landmark Roe v. Wade case in 1973 was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court. This year, the focus was clear: shifting cultural attitudes to eradicate abortion from society.
“I think the biggest goal would be to make abortion unthinkable in America,” said Castle Denger, 19, a college student from Michigan who traveled with 100 pro-life supporters from his school and other local colleges. “And that starts with changing the culture and the laws will follow.”
Marchers gathered at the Washington Monument before walking almost two miles to the Capitol, carrying an array of banners and projecting chants. Attendees hailed from states like Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Florida, representing a broad coalition of college students and high school students, local ministries, parish groups and local residents of the DMV.
President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance voiced their support for the movement’s mission during the event.
“In my second turn, we will again stand proudly for families and for life,” Trump said in a video message played at the rally. “We will protect the historic gains we have made and stop the radical Democratic push for a federal right to abortion– abortion on demand up to the moment of birth and even after birth.”
Vice President Vance echoed Trump’s sentiments and emphasized the administration’s commitment to the anti-abortion movement.
Just hours prior to the march, Trump pardoned 23 individuals convicted of blocking access to reproductive health clinics, carrying out another one of his campaign promises’ to reward supporters who have breached laws.
“What we wanna see in lieu of Roe V. Wade being overturned is just a continual movement towards a pro life culture in the United States,” said Evan Musneski, 20, a full-time student from Hope College in Michigan. “Not just a country that has abortion as an illegal act, but a country of people who believe that abortion is wrong and believe that it should be illegal.”
Despite the celebratory atmosphere brimmed with colorful hats and vibrant energy, the march faced controversy with the participation of Patriot Front, a white supremacist group. The group carried a banner that read, “Strong families make strong nations,” alongside upside-down American flags and Confederate flags. Jeanna Mancini, president of March for Life, condemned their presence in a statement to The Washington Post: “We condemn any organization that seeks to exclude a person or group of people based on the color of their skin or any other characteristic.”
Since the nullifying of Roe, anti-abortion groups have remained steadfast in their efforts to pressure federal lawmakers to defund Planned Parenthood. However, “defunding” doesn’t mean cutting off a blank check, as the organization does not receive direct funding from the federal or state governments. Instead, it refers to blocking the organization from being reimbursed for services provided to Medicaid recipients or those eligible for free or reduced-cost care through the Title X program. These groups have also focused on launching legal efforts to restrict access to mifepristone, a widely used abortion medication.
