Donald Trump made a number of promises regarding IVF access in the United States as part of a new executive order signed earlier this week.

The 78-year-old president’s latest move saw the cost of the procedure – which enables LGBTQ+ couples, couples facing infertility and single people, to create a family – debated in the White House, and a number of pledges made.

IVF became a big talking point during Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign as the debate around the increasingly common treatment came into the spotlight.

What is IVF?

Known as in vitro fertilisation, the medical procedure is most commonly offered to couples who are struggling to get pregnant.

It sees the woman’s eggs extracted and combined with a man’s sperm in a lab dish in a bid to create a fertilised embryo.

This is then transferred into the woman’s uterus to create a pregnancy.

IVF is carried out as per the woman’s cycle, meaning more than one attempt is usually needed.

The process is also used by LGBTQ+ couples who wish to become parents and are biologically prevented from being able to conceive a child naturally.

In this case, the eggs of a donor are used, with the embryo being carried by a surrogate. Or, in same-sex female relationships, a sperm donor is used and one of the women in the couple carries the child.

The price of the process, however, means that IVF is often used as last resort after other fertility treatments fail.

Trump’s new policy directly addresses IVF accessibility (Carlos Duarte/Getty)

Trump’s new IVF executive order

This week, Trump has chimed in on IVF accessibility and its extreme costs, vowing to make the process more affordable.

According to a message directly from the White House, the politician explained: “Americans need reliable access to IVF and more affordable treatment options, as the cost per cycle can range from $12,000 to $25,000.”

The policy continues: “Providing support, awareness, and access to affordable fertility treatments can help these families navigate their path to parenthood with hope and confidence.”

Trump’s new executive order also issued a request to the assistant to the president for domestic policy for a list of policy recommendations on protecting IVF access.

He also hoped that this instruction could ‘aggressively’ reduce ‘out-of-pocket and health plan costs’ for treatment within a 90-day period.

IVF and insurance: how available is the treatment?

Trump declared his new policy yesterday (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Depending on the firm providing it to a couple, insurance coverage for IVF can be a difficult realm to navigate.

Larger companies in the States tend to offer this coverage in a bid to attract future employees and retain existing ones.

According to AP, in recent years, more and more employers have also been offering coverage for infertility diagnoses, which mean that LGBTQ+ couples and single women can feel assured.

In smaller companies, however, insurance coverage is considerably less common.

This lack of widespread coverage, however, has created a nationwide divide, being that couples who miss out are often forced to fork out hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Recent debate on IVF

Trump’s latest promise comes after the process became a significant talking point in the state of Alabama, after leaders agreed last year to protect IVF providers from legal liability after the state Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos can be considered children under state law.

IVF has long been a debated topic in the US (Tierney L. Cross/Getty Images)

Margaret Marsh – a history professor at Rutgers University in New Jersey – recently told press that the American anti-abortion movement, which is against IVF on the basis that embryos are often lost in the process, never went away, despite its popularity surging in recent years.

The 2022 overturning of Roe v Wade – which constitutionally protected a woman’s right to terminate her pregnancy – she says, had a part to play in why more and more people have been taking the anti-IVF stance.

“Not everyone in the anti-abortion movement opposes these reproductive technologies, but many do,” Marsh told AP.

Last year, however, Trump declared that he supported availability to IVF.

In June, a poll conducted by the The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research also found that 6/10 US adults supported the notion that IVF was a process that deserved protection.

American actress Julianna Moore has been left ‘in great shock’ after Donald Trump reportedly banned her self-written children’s book from schools across the states.

The 64-year-old took to social media this week to slam the controversial new legislation, which has seen her kids’ novel Freckleface Strawberry removed from school shelves across her home-country.

The book’s removal comes after the Department of Defence Education Activity sent parents a memo last week, declaring library books in schools across America would be examined for content ‘potentially related to gender ideology or discriminatory equity ideology topics’.

As per The Guardian, among the handful of books that were ‘relocated to the professional collection for evaluation with access limited to professional staff’ to undergo a ‘compliance review’ was Strawberry Freckleface.

Moore’s book was released in 2007 (Jamie McCarthy/WireImage)

Moore’s 2007 book tells the tale of a young girl with red hair and freckles who is sadly bullied by her classmates, which leads her to feel isolated.

Eventually, she embraces what makes her different and goes on to live happily.

The novel’s success resulted in further sequels, and in 2010, the story – which Moore has since revealed is semi-autobiographical – inspired a stage musical version.

Taking to Instagram yesterday (16 Feb), Moore shared an image of the book with a lengthy, emotional caption.

“It is a great shock for me to learn that my first book, Freckleface Strawberry, has been banned by the Trump Administration from schools run by the Department of Defense,” she began.

Trump has signed several executive orders since his inauguration last month (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

“Freckleface Strawberry is a semi-autobiographical story about a seven year old girl who dislikes her freckles but eventually learns to live with them when she realizes that she is different ‘just like everybody else.’

“It is a book I wrote for my children and for other kids to remind them that we all struggle, but are united by our humanity and our community.”

Moore went on to admit she’s ‘particularly stunned’ by the fact that Trump has enacted his order onto someone who once studied at Frankfurt American High School, a Department of Defence school that once operated in Germany.

She referenced her own upbringing: “I grew up with a father who is a Vietnam veteran and spent his career in the #USArmy. I could not be prouder of him and his service to our country.

Moore’s book has reportedly been banned (Instagram/@juliannemoore)

“It is galling for me to realize that kids like me, growing up with a parent in the service and attending a @dodea_edu school will not have access to a book written by someone whose life experience is so similar to their own.

“And I can’t help but wonder what is so controversial about this picture book that cause it to be banned by the US Government.”

The star added that she’s ‘truly saddened’ by recent events, confessing that she ‘never thought I would see this in a country where freedom of speech and expression is a constitutional right’.

“Thank you to @penamerica for bringing this to my attention. #FAHS #frecklefacestrawberry @uyenloseordraw @thebookgrp,” she concluded.

Several huge-name stars have since taken to the comments of Moore’s post to offer support, including fellow movie star Halle Berry, who wrote: “Oh my friend, this is frightening! I’m so sorry this is happening!!”

Actress Michelle Pfeiffer added: “Are you joking?? – How can we get this book?”

Moore claimed the news left her in ‘great shock’ (Marc Piasecki/WireImage)

Chloe Grace Moretz questioned: “Wow , truly shocked about this ??? Literally why??”

And Ellen Pompeo added: “I’d say what a bunch of donkeys except I love donkeys soooo once again …don’t even know what to say”

It comes just weeks after Donald Trump signed an executive order titled ‘Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government’.

Around the same time, he gave his approval on another policy, titled ‘Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling’.

Shonda Rhimes has made it brutally clear this week that she’s unwilling to work alongside Donald Trump.

In response to the news that the controversial politician and newly-inaugurated President has made a major move into the television business, the globally-renowned executive has herself announced a blindsiding change in career.

According to the New York Times, Trump was elected over the weekend to the position of Chair of the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts – an artistic institution that serves as the national cultural centre of the US.

The decision was made by a board of directors, with the 78-year-old having appointed himself to replace former chair David M. Rubenstein.

The former Apprentice front-man first made his plan to replace Rubenstein public last Friday (7 Feb).

Writing on his own social media platform, Truth Social, Trump also made it clear that other board of trustee members would be getting the boot.

“I have decided to immediately terminate multiple individuals from the Board of Trustees, including the Chairman, who do not share our Vision for a Golden Age in Arts and Culture,” he wrote.

“We will soon announce a new Board, with an amazing Chairman, DONALD J. TRUMP!”

The father-of-five went on to claim the reason for his multiple firings was spurred by ‘drag shows specifically targeting our youth’ that the centre hosted last year, with Trump pledging in his statement, ‘THIS WILL STOP.’

Rhimes has made a major career move in response to Trump’s new position (Craig Barritt/Getty Images for Clinton Global Initiative)

Naturally, Trump’s transition into showbiz hasn’t gone down too well with many behind the scenes leaders, including multi award-winning producer and screenwriter, Shonda Rhimes.

The 55-year-old is behind the success of countless on-screen hits, including the likes of Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, Bridgerton, How to Get Away With Murder and Inventing Anna.

Following the news of Trump’s new position, the esteemed TV boss resigned from her role as treasurer of the Kennedy Center in a shock move that has left telly-lovers reeling.

Rhimes confirmed the news on Instagram by sharing a screen-grab of a news story titled ‘Shonda Rhimes Resigns from Kennedy Center Board After Arump Appoints Himself as Chairman’.

In the caption, she quoted JFK himself, writing, ‘If art is to nourish the roots of our culture, society must set the artist free to follow his vision wherever it takes him. – John F Kennedy’.

She was previously appointed to the board of trustees by former President, Barack Obama.

Rhimes confirmed the news on Instagram (Instagram/@shondarhimes)

A spokesperson confirmed Rhimes’ resignation to press on Wednesday (12 Feb), whilst telling the NYT that the organisation’s president, Deborah F. Rutter, was simultaneously fired from her position and replaced by Richard Grenell.

Joining Rhimes in her departure is singer-songwriter Ben Folds, who also confirmed he has resigned from his role as artistic adviser of the National Symphony Orchestra and board member.

The 58-year-old hit-maker wrote on Instagram on Wednesday: “Given the developments at the Kennedy Center, effective today I am resigning as artistic advisor to the NSO. Not for me.”

Folds added: “It’s been a wonderful 8 years working with Kennedy Center President Deb Rutter, fellow artistic advisor Renee Fleming, and the entire NSO staff, encouraging thousands of fresh new audiences to appreciate symphonic music.”

Actress and opera star Renée Fleming will also be departing from her role as artistic adviser at large.

Following its first Super Bowl commercial in 27 years, Nike has sparked a major debate on both women’s and transgender rights this week, which resulted in one athlete branding bosses at the clothing firm ‘faux feminists’.

The company’s ‘So Win’ 2025 campaign was first played on Sunday evening (9 Feb) during the eagerly-awaited NFL competition which saw the Philadelphia Eagles defeat the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22.

Starring a selection of prominent American athletes – including Jordan Chiles, Caitlin Clark, A’ja Wilson and Sha’Carri Richardson – the ad boasted themes of defying expectations and breaking barriers, both of which are supposedly placed upon female sport stars on a daily basis.

The black and white video emphasised the hurdles that women are forced to jump over in the famously male-dominated industry, and bore the slogan, ‘You can’t win. So win’.

The campaign was released in the midst of an ongoing debate in the United States about inclusion of transgender athletes in female sport teams, after newly sworn-in president Donald Trump last week issued a ban.

Announcing the news from the White House on 5 Feb, as per his new executive order, the 78-year-old Republican vowed to deny schools that allow such a practice from receiving any federal funding.

While many applauded the ad – with one saying on X: “Did these ladies justice. Best Nike ad in awhile,” as another added: “Great commercial to remind us the power of women’s sports and the importance they play in the lives of women and girls everywhere” – some weren’t as forgiving.

Swimmer Riley Gaines has taken issue with Nike’s campaign (Rebecca Noble/Getty Images)

Amongst the thousands of critics of Nike’s new campaign, who took issue with its message upon this basis, was medal-winning swimmer and conservative political activist, Riley Gaines.

Taking to X earlier this week, the 24-year-old pointed out that back in 2023, the sports firm launched a campaign in partnership with transgender content creator Dylan Mulvaney to promote a new range of sports bras and leggings.

Gaines’ comments came in response to an initial tweet put out by an account named End Wokeness, which wrote of the latest campaign: “Nike with an ad about how the real threat to women’s sport in sexism.”

The swimmer – who is known for campaigning against the participation of trans women in women’s sports – then wrote in the comments: “Keep in mind Nike has celebrated men competing in women’s sports. Faux ‘feminists’.”

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Keep in mind Nike has celebrated men competing in women’s sports. Faux ‘feminists’

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Gaines’ position on the debate was made clear in 2022, after she tied in fifth place with transgender swimmer Lia Thomas at an NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) race.

Whilst Thomas won a trophy at the competition for her victory, Gaines did not.

Reacting to a video of Trump signing his controversial new ban – titled ‘Keeping men out of women’s sports’ – Gaines tweeted last week: “I can’t even tell you how much this visual means to me.”

The NCAA later followed in suit to Trump’s ban, by changing its participation policy for transgender athletes, meaning only athletes assigned female at birth will be permitted to compete.

Trump signed his new transgender policy last week (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

NCAA president Charlie Baker told press in a statement, as per The Guardian: “We strongly believe that clear, consistent and uniform eligibility standards would best serve today’s student-athletes instead of a patchwork of conflicting state laws and court decisions.

“To that end, President Trump’s order provides a clear, national standard.”

He emphasised, however, that the organisation would continue to permit athletes assigned male at birth to practice with women’s teams, and receive appropriate medical care.

Barker added that the organisation still vows to ‘protect, support and enhance the mental and physical health of student-athletes’.

“This national standard brings much-needed clarity as we modernise college sports for today’s student-athletes.”

If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the LGBT Foundation on 0345 3 30 30 30, 10am–6pm Monday to Friday, or email helpline@lgbt.foundation