Appeals court allows Trump admin. to block Medicaid funds to Planned Parenthood

September 16, 2025

The United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit has overturned a lower court decision and has ruled that the Trump administration can prevent Planned Parenthood from receiving Medicaid funding.

The Christian Post reports that the appeals court panel issued an order against two injunctions issued by a district court against the defunding of Planned Parenthood.

The appeals court order read, “We denied without prejudice as premature the defendants’ motion to stay the injunctions pending the disposition of those appeals, while a motion for similar relief was pending in the district court.”

That same panel also granted requests to file amicus briefs from from the state of Louisiana and the American Center for Law & Justice law firm.

Operation Rescue President Troy Newman expressed gratitude that the lower court injunctions were stayed, saying, “Planned Parenthood is quickly running out of friends in high and dark places, and we praise God for it. Over 40 Planned Parenthoods have already closed — we expect that number to grow over the coming weeks, and we’ll celebrate every one.”

Newman added, “Planned Parenthood never deserved one American dollar of taxpayer funds, and when abortion clinics close, babies are saved.”

Planned Parenthood President and CEO Alexis McGill Johnson decried the ruling, saying in a statement: “Patients who rely on the essential health care that Planned Parenthood health centers provide, can’t plan for their futures, decide where they go for care, or control their lives, bodies, and futures — all because the Trump administration and its backers want to attack Planned Parenthood and shut down health centers.”

The Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed earlier this year by President Trump, included a one-year pause on federal funding for Planned Parenthood and also restricted federal funding for any entity that provides abortions.

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