President-elect Donald Trump has announced several choices for cabinet positions in his incoming administration. Dr. Jamila Perritt, ob/gyn in DC and President & CEO of Physicians for Reproductive Health responds:
“Less than two weeks after the general election, President-elect Donald Trump has begun assembling a cabinet of Trump loyalists that causes us as a physician organization grave concern for the health and well-being of the communities we care for and serve every day.
Trump’s nominations have raised great alarm, with even Republican lawmakers questioning the integrity and qualifications of cabinet picks…
“Trump’s nominations have raised great alarm, with even Republican lawmakers questioning the integrity and qualifications of cabinet picks like Senator Marco Rubio as Secretary of State, former Representative Dave Weldon to direct the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, TV host Mehmet Oz, known as “Dr. Oz”, to lead Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard for a key intelligence position, Fox News host Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense, TV personality turned politician Linda McMahon to serve as the next secretary of the Department of Education, and attorney Ronald F. Kennedy, Jr. to head the Department of Health and Human Services. Donald Trump has repeatedly shown us both during his first term and during his campaign for this term not only a disdain for those at the margins of racial, socioeconomic, and gendered oppression but also for our democracy as we know it. This is not just unacceptable, it is dangerous.
…it is important to remember that life-saving health care like abortion and gender-affirming care have always been available and will continue to be available.
“While many of us are feeling uncertain about the future, still fighting to deal with the legacy and ramifications of the first Trump administration which laid the groundwork for the Dobbs decision, the decimation of the social safety net, and countless other public health and medical harms, it is important to remember that life-saving health care like abortion and gender-affirming care have always been available and will continue to be available. Despite the many attempts to punish our communities through criminalizing patients and providers, and enabling racist, xenophobic violence across the country, we will continue to provide people with the accurate, evidence-based information they need to make informed decisions about their bodies, families, and futures. We note that even President-elect Trump understood the importance of abortion to our country in this past election, attempting to distance himself from the devastating Dobbs decision wrought by his picks for the Supreme Court and vowing not to sign a national abortion ban should one pass Congress.
“We will not give up hope. We will not be silent. As providers, we stand alongside abortion funds, community care workers, and abortion advocates who are deeply committed to a future where everyone can get the health care they need without shame, stigma, or intimidation. As the next administration takes steps that threaten this vision, we remain steadfast in our belief that every person, no matter their sexuality, gender identity, socioeconomic status, race, or nationality, deserves the right to determine if, when, and how they build their families.
“At Physicians for Reproductive Health, we center evidence-based practices to guide us in meeting the needs of our patients. We will continue to amplify the voices and perspectives of medical providers to advocate for sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice. We are dedicated to showing up not only for patients but for each other as we navigate these troubling times. No matter what happens in the courts and no matter the decisions of politicians, no matter the ‘concepts of a plan’, we are not giving up and we are not going anywhere.”