Pro-Life, Pro-Family Movements Find Ally in White House but Struggle Post-Roe

WASHINGTON, DC - The pro-life and pro-family movements have their roots in the Bible and in the founding documents of our nation. However, through the years, the traditional family and the right to life itself has come under attack. There are negative forces that callously seek to abort children and aggressively seek to dismantle the traditional family, which would break down the very foundation the Founding Fathers relied upon: God, families, and country. 

Americans who support family values say they are fighting an ideological and even a spiritual war against forces seeking to destroy the traditional family. Their message is simply families are the building blocks of a great nation, pointing to God's mandate to be fruitful and multiply. 

Vice President JD Vance echoed that sentiment during the recent March For Life.

"I want more babies in the United States of America. I want more happy children in our country, and I want beautiful young men and women who are eager to welcome them into the world and eager to raise them," he told the huge crowd.

PHOTO: Young pro-life protestors at the annual March for Life, walk from the Washington Monument to the Supreme Court, Jan. 24, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Ashley Hayek, the executive director of America First Works, agrees.

"I have five children. I would say six might be my work, to be quite honest. And I'm a proud Marine wife, and I'm really grateful for my husband and all he does to support me. And you know, I think what this says is that the left has really overplayed their hands. And when I was growing up, I was told that women should be able to shatter glass ceilings and have opportunities and have a seat at the table," she said.

Hayek's company is a pro-family organization that is grateful for President Trump standing with the movement. He delivered his support via a video address at the March For Life saying, "We will work to offer a loving hand to new mothers and young families, and we will support adoption and foster care. We will protect women and vulnerable children."

PHOTO: Demonstrators march at the the March for Life in Washington, DC on January 24, 2025. (Photo by Annabelle Gordon/Sipa USA)(Sipa via AP Images)

Some leaders, however, are concerned about the future of their movement. It has some political challenges following the Supreme Court's reversal of Roe v. Wade. 

Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council explains, "The pro-family, pro-life movement is, quite frankly, I think trying to get its footing right. The Roe decision, the overturn of Roe, the Dobbs' decision, frankly, is one of the things we prayed about, we worked for, but then when it came, we said, 'Wow, this happened.'" 

PHOTO: People participating in the annual March for Life, walk from the Washington Monument to the Supreme Court, Jan. 24, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

"What happened is Donald Trump appointed pro-life justices. But you know, we have to realize where the real authority comes from. It comes from heaven. And as that happened, we've seen since then, the 2022 midterm elections, where actually we had 11 governors run on very strong pro-life platforms, and they won. Now Congress, kind of getting their footing on the issue, not able to talk about it, didn't do as well as some thought. And as a result, Donald Trump moved away from that issue in the 2024 election," he said.

Perkins believes in order to turn that around, more church leaders will need to stand on biblical authority in addressing the issue with political and cultural leaders, especially those taking critical roles within the Trump administration. 
 
"This is a different administration than it was in 2016 and I would be dishonest if I didn't say I have some reservations. I have some reservations."

Putting families first is a top priority in the new playbook to make America stronger.

Delano Squires of the Heritage Foundation is focused on fighting the culture war on the unborn and traditional families. 

"We're talking about a movement that encourages men and women to come together in Holy Matrimony according to a traditional biblical definition of what marriage is; one man, one woman for one lifetime, committed to one another and all the children they raise together," he said. "And with that definition then we can go out into the marketplace of ideas and talk about what that means. Some may be adjustments to the tax code, you know child tax credit. Some of that may be more flexible work hours for parents." 
 
Vice President Vance says the Trump Administration is focused on helping families.

"Now, it should be easier to raise a family, easier to find a good job, easier to build a home to raise that family in, easier to save up and purchase a good stroller, a crib for a nursery. We need a culture that celebrates life at all stages, one that recognizes and truly believes that the benchmark of national success is not our GDP number or our stock market, but whether people feel that they can raise thriving and healthy families in our country," Vance said.

Those who stand for pro-life and pro-family will tell you that life is precious. They add, life is a gift from God that begins from the moment of conception. We are all fearfully and wonderfully made and God cares about the institution of family. He instructs them to be fruitful and multiply, to love each other, and to teach their children right from wrong. Those instructions are the building blocks of great families and great nations. In fact, the Founding Fathers believed the greatness of our nation does not begin with our government but begins in the homes of our people where the family must be strong in faith, hope, and love in order to build a great nation.

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