The Belgian foreign ministry, which said it had tried to find a solution with the U.S., told Reuters: “Despite these efforts, and with full respect for our partners, no viable alternative could be secured. Nevertheless, Belgium continues to actively seek solutions to avoid this regrettable outcome. Sexual and reproductive health must not be subject to ideological constraints.”
Destroying the contraceptives, which will cost taxpayers $167,000, is part of DOGE’s plan to slash government “waste,” which includes slashing 83% of the Agency for International Development, or USAID. This is also why 500 tons of food aid meant for starving children in conflict zones is also set to be incinerated.
According to two congressional aides who visited the Belgium warehouse and spoke to the Guardian, the contraceptives were likely intended for Africa, and meant for women in established crisis areas, like refugee camps and war zones. A State Department spokesperson told the outlet that most of the contraceptives had less than 70% of their shelf life before expiration—but Reuters confirmed the expiration dates are between April 2027 and September 2031.
The State Department also claims they couldn’t find “eligible buyers” (hoo-rah for capitalism); eligible being the key word. After his inauguration in January, Trump quickly reinstated the “global gag rule,” a devastating policy that blocks federal funding and/or aid to any international organization that even so much as whispers the word abortion. In other words, “eligible” likely means an organization that doesn’t perform or discuss them.
Case in point: MSI Reproductive Choices, an organization that provides family planning services in over 40 countries, offered to buy the contraceptives. They ultimately weren’t able to pay full price, along with the transportation costs, but MSI performs abortions and told the Guardian they doubted the administration would have sold to them regardless.
“This is a waste of US taxpayer dollars and an abdication of US global leadership in preventing unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions and maternal deaths,” Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-New Hampshire) wrote in a letter to Secretary of State Mark Rubio on June 30. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) also signed the letter, but she doesn’t get praise for advocating for women abroad while she’s screwing women over at home.
“This is clearly not about saving money,” Sarah Shaw, the associate director for advocacy at MSI, told Reuters. “It feels more like an ideological assault on reproductive rights, and one that is already harming women.”
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