Trump administration considering '$5,000 baby bonus' plan to boost birthrate
What's the story
The Trump administration is reportedly looking at a range of measures to boost the birthrate in the United States of America. From menstrual cycle education to 'baby bonuses' for new mothers, the proposals are being discussed with President Donald Trump and his advisors. The suggestions are part of health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative.
Declining population
US birthrate below replacement level
The US's current birthrate is about 1.6 births per woman, below the replacement level of 2.1. This means the population is not fully reproducing itself, resulting in possible economic and social consequences as the workforce ages. Immigration has historically made up for this dearth of working-age population, but it is in contrast to the Trump administration's stance against immigration.
Family-focused proposals
Proposed measures to encourage marriages and childbirth
Several stakeholders have suggested measures to the White House to motivate Americans to marry and have more children. Other proposed ideas include education on the menstrual cycle, and 30% of the Fulbright Fellowship awards for married women or mothers. The administration is also being asked to fund awareness programs on women's fertility cycles so they can know when they are ovulating to conceive.
Family values
Pronatalist movement gaining traction in Trump administration
Although administrative officials have not committed to any particular strategy, several advocates who have attended recent closed-door meetings claim there is obvious interest at the highest levels. Vice President JD Vance, a father of three, has long referred to the country's dropping fertility rate as a "civilizational crisis" and routinely attends public events with his children to emphasize the administration's pro-family stance. Elon Musk, father of 14, similarly claims that "the childless have little stake in the future."