A federal judge in Massachusetts has temporarily blocked a provision in President Donald Trump’s sweeping tax and spending bill that would have cut off Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood health centers.
On Monday, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani issued a temporary restraining order against the provision in what Trump dubbed the “big, beautiful bill,” signed into law on July 4. The measure sought to deny Medicaid reimbursements for one year to Planned Parenthood affiliates due to their involvement in providing abortion services.
The Trump administration argued the policy was intended to prevent federal taxpayer dollars from indirectly supporting abortion access. A White House official told Fox News Digital the measure reflects “common sense” values that “most Americans support.”
But Planned Parenthood leaders and reproductive rights advocates quickly filed a lawsuit to challenge the funding block. The lawsuit—brought by Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts, and the Planned Parenthood Association of Utah—accused the administration of singling out the organization for engaging in legal activity.
“The prohibition specifically targets Planned Parenthood… to punish them for lawful activity, namely advocating for and providing legal abortion access wholly outside the Medicaid program and without using any federal funds,” the lawsuit states.
The restraining order means Medicaid patients can continue receiving services—like cancer screenings, STI testing, and birth control—from Planned Parenthood clinics while the legal challenge proceeds.
Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts CEO Dominique Lee vowed to fight back against what she called a politically driven attack on reproductive healthcare.
“The Trump administration’s hell-bent ambitions to close our clinics and abandon our patients won’t stop us,” Lee said in a statement. “Let me be crystal clear: We are not intimidated. We were built for this moment.”
“If they want a fight, they’ll get one. In Massachusetts, we don’t back down when it comes to healthcare or human rights.”
The provision is just one element of Trump’s broader legislative package, which passed after a marathon vote session in Congress and included sweeping changes to tax, spending, and social policy.
Legal experts say the case could eventually make its way to the Supreme Court, which has previously sided with states seeking to cut Medicaid ties with Planned Parenthood, but has not weighed in directly on federal defunding measures.
For now, Judge Talwani’s ruling ensures that Medicaid patients across the country can continue accessing care at Planned Parenthood while the court decides the constitutionality of the law.
