CatholicVote President Kelsey Reinhardt urged President Donald Trump Jan. 6 to reaffirm his commitment to the Hyde Amendment after he suggested Republicans should be “flexible” on the decades-old rule protecting taxpayer dollars from being used for abortions.
During a House Republican policy retreat at the Kennedy Center earlier in the day, Trump framed the Hyde Amendment as a potential bargaining point in negotiations over healthcare funding. He told Republicans: “You have to be a little flexible on Hyde. You know that. You gotta be a little flexible.”
Reinhardt rejected that suggestion in a statement issued just hours later.
“CatholicVote urges President Trump to reaffirm and honor the Hyde Amendment not only as a longstanding policy commitment,” she said, “but because it is the right thing to do.”
.@CatholicVote urges @POTUS to reaffirm and honor the Hyde Amendment not only as a longstanding policy commitment, but because it is the right thing to do.
— Kelsey (Wicks) Reinhardt (@catholickelsey) January 6, 2026
For nearly five decades, Hyde has reflected a basic moral consensus: Americans should not be compelled to fund abortion…
Reinhardt argued that the Hyde Amendment reflects a broad consensus that American taxpayers should not be forced to fund abortion.
“For nearly five decades, Hyde has reflected a basic moral consensus: Americans should not be compelled to fund abortion with their tax dollars,” she said. “That principle transcends party lines and is shared by a majority of Americans, including independents and millions of Catholics who supported President Trump in record numbers.”
The amendment, which was first enacted in 1976, bars the use of federal funds for abortion except in cases of rape, incest, or when the mother’s life is at risk. Congress renews it annually through appropriations bills, and lawmakers of both major parties have affirmed it for almost its entire history.
Reinhardt pointed to Trump’s past support for the policy, saying he “earned the trust of pro-life voters” by pledging to uphold Hyde, reversing its erosion under the previous administration, and affirming that preventing taxpayer funding of abortion is the policy of the U.S.
“That clarity mattered, and it still does,” Reinhardt said. “Honoring Hyde is not about inflexibility. It is about moral consistency and public restraint on an issue as grave and irreversible as abortion. The amendment has saved millions of lives while respecting the consciences of taxpayers: an achievement few public policies can claim.”
>> Hyde Amendment Has Saved 2.5 Million Babies, Study Indicates <<
Nearly a year ago, Trump signed an executive order four days after he entered office titled, “ENFORCING THE HYDE AMENDMENT.” The order reinforced the amendment, rescinded previous Biden-era orders that expanded access to abortion, and directed federal agencies to implement restrictions on the use of federal money for abortion.
In her statement, Reinhardt dismissed political advisors urging a retreat from Hyde and warned that doing so would betray the convictions that drove many Catholic voters’ support for Trump.
“Catholic voters did not support President Trump for transactional reasons. They did so because they believed he would stand firm where it mattered most,” she said. “Political insiders recommending a retreat from Hyde are offering bad advice. The Hyde Amendment is good policy and good politics.”
Reinhardt closed with a direct appeal to the President.
“Mr. President, this is not only about loyalty to a critical base — though that loyalty is real,” she noted. “It is about fidelity to a principle that has protected the unborn, respected taxpayers, and served the country well.”