March for Life on White House support: "We have never seen anything like this"
The White House pointed out that the March for Life estimates similar numbers to the Women's March on Washington, but gets far less coverage.
Ahead of the March for Life in Washington DC later today, the organisation has said that it is "delighted" by the unprecedented support the new administration is giving the event.
Jeanne Mancini, president of the March for Life Education and Defence Fund, told LifeSiteNews: "We are just delighted so far with what we have seen, in less than a week, from the Trump administration"
"We saw the Mexico City Policy reinstated. They have mentioned the March for Life in press briefings and in interviews all week long. We have never seen anything like this in our entire life." she said.
VP to speak for the first time in history
The comments follow confirmation by a White House Official that Vice-President Mike Pence will speak at the March for Life.
It is the first time a Vice President of the United States will attend in the March's 44-year history. Kellyanne Conway, Trump's campaign manager and now Counsellor to the President, will also speak. It was even suggested by White House spokesman Sean Spicer that President Trump himself will call in to the March rally, as George W. Bush did during his years in office.
Trump on media bias
As well as promising a "heavy administration" presence at the March, the White House has also been referring to it in press statements. Last Sunday, in response to a question about the Women's March on Washington, a Trump administration official told NBC News: "It's a shame that the March for Life, which estimates the same number of marchers in DC (650,000 in 2013) and will be happening next Friday, will not get anywhere near the same amount of coverage that this march got - and those pro-life members were NOT welcome at the Women's March."
President Trump has also commented on the lack of media coverage of the March. During an interview on Wednesday with ABC, he called the presenter out on the issue. He made similar comments yesterday, at the Republican retreat in Philadelphia, saying:
"By the way on Friday, a lot of people are going to be showing up to Washington, right Mike [Pence]? A lot of people," he said. "You know, the press never gives them the credit that they deserve. They'll have three hundred, four hundred, five hundred, six hundred thousand people. You won't even read about it."
Defunding international abortion providers
At the same event, he also spoke about his recent order banning funding for foreign abortions. "We've reinstated the Mexico City Policy, a longstanding policy," he said, to applause.
"Isn't that nice? ... A longstanding policy to ensure taxpayer dollars do not fund abortion services overseas."
Read our blog on the Mexico City Policy!