President Donald Trump’s administration is broadcasting ways to celebrate motherhood and “the uniqueness of femininity,” in an intentional shift away from the rhetoric of previous administrations.
On March 18, the United States, Argentina, and Paraguay hosted a side event at the United Nations praising motherhood. “Participating in this event is really recognizing women, their uniqueness, their biological reality,” Health and Human Services Director of Global Affairs Bethany Kozma told The Daily Signal.
The 70th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, which took place March 9-19, excluded mentions of motherhood and family, a move that Kozma called “anti-mother.”
The U.S. was the only country that voted against the UN’s document that lacked a definition of “woman.” The document also promoted radical gender ideology, “reproductive rights,” and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
On the sidelines of the session, the U.S. event appeared to contrast with previous administrations’ statements on motherhood. Former President Barack Obama said being a stay-at-home mom is “not a choice we want Americans to make,” referring to families without affordable daycare options. The Biden administration called mothers “birthing persons.”
However, the Trump administration recognized motherhood and family as critical to every society in its side event titled, “Embracing the Social Significance of Motherhood through the Geneva Consensus Declaration.”
“President Trump has been very clear about supporting families from the very beginning, and especially in this,” HHS senior advisor and counselor to the secretary Natalie Dodson told The Daily Signal.
“The whole focus of the Commission on the Status of Women should be supporting real mothers and daughters and girls and women. That’s what got lost in a lot of the UN jargon and ambiguous language, but what the U.S. is really focused on is supporting biological women and girls, and that’ll always be our goal.”
Trump signed an executive order on his first day in office defining “male” and “female” as the only two sexes.
“Every single action we take, no matter whether it’s in the domestic or international space, will always be focused on biological reality, gold standard science, transparency, accountability,” Dodson said.
Dodson and Kozma gave speeches on the importance of respecting the differences between men and women. Kozma has had many jobs, but she said none compares to motherhood.
“Motherhood is one of the most powerful forces shaping our society,” Kozma, a mother of three, said in remarks at the event obtained exclusively by The Daily Signal. “From the earliest moments of a child’s life, mothers provide the care, stability, and love that help children grow into healthy and confident adults.”
Dodson said in her speech that a society can’t cherish mothers without recognizing the sanctity of life.
“Motherhood illustrates an enduring truth: the strength and fortitude of a nation does not arise from its institutions or policies, but in its recognition and devotion to life,” she said. “A country cannot sustain families, nor can a mother shape a child’s future, unless life is first recognized, cherished, and safeguarded.”
During the first week of the Trump administration, the United States joined the Geneva Consensus Declaration, a 40-nation coalition of countries that declared there is no international right to abortion.
The State Department and HHS are working to get more countries to sign the declaration. Kozma and Dodson said that many countries at the UN expressed interest.
Dodson said the Trump administration is also trying to encourage motherhood in the U.S., such as launching Operation Stork Speed to support women who are breastfeeding and to update recommendations on infant formula.
“We’re for the family. We’re for motherhood. We’re for protecting children, we’re for men and women, the biological differences between men and women,” Kozma said. “It’s something that we can bring countries together in this international coalition. It just takes one country like the United States standing up.”
This marks a huge difference from where the United States was two years ago under the Biden administration, Kozma said.
“Whereas the Biden administration was pushing all his gender ideology all around the world, and people were mutilating and sterilizing children. And now that’s changed, and that’s thanks to President Trump for that,” she said. “Our leadership in the international space, to be for family, for mothers, for motherhood, I think it is something that we can really help change and impact the world.”
