Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has suggested that Democrats should adopt one of President Donald Trump’s campaign promises about expanding coverage for fertility treatments. Buttigieg made these comments during an appearance on the Pod Save America podcast on Sunday.
During his 2024 campaign, Trump promised to expand coverage for in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments, later making controversial comments about being the ‘fertilization president’ that raised eyebrows about his approach to women’s health issues. This was part of his effort to appeal to voters with what he called “pro-family” policies. The promise gained attention as fertility treatments can be very expensive for families trying to have children.
When asked if Democrats should “run on Trump’s promise from the campaign that insurance companies should be required to cover IVF and fertility treatments,” Buttigieg said he thought it was a good idea. “I think it’s good policy,” he told the podcast hosts. “I mean, if we’re really serious about being pro-family, then we need to make sure that we support that.”
Trump’s IVF promise remains unfulfilled despite executive order
However, Trump appears to have fallen short on delivering this campaign promise during his second term. A recent Washington Post report found that the White House has no concrete plan to mandate IVF care coverage, despite the pledge Trump made during his campaign.
The report’s headline stated that the “White House has no plan to mandate IVF care, despite campaign pledge.” This suggests that Trump’s promise to expand IVF access has not been turned into real policy action that would help families pay for these treatments.
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson responded to the criticism by saying the president’s work on this issue was still ongoing. “President Trump pledged to expand access to fertility treatments for Americans who are struggling to start families,” Jackson said in a statement. “The Administration is committed like none before to using its authorities to deliver on this pledge.”
In February, Trump signed an executive order aimed at expanding access to IVF and other fertility treatments. The order focused on reducing out-of-pocket costs for patients. It directed the Domestic Policy Council to find ways to make IVF and other fertility treatments more affordable for American families.
Buttigieg argued that supporting families who want to have children should be a priority regardless of political party. “I don’t think we should scoff at those who are interested in making sure that we encourage more people to be able to start families and have more kids if they want to,” he said. He added that this was especially important “if the reason they’re not doing it is artificial issues around cost or access to care.”
The former presidential candidate has been critical of his own party’s approach to reaching voters since the 2024 election. He has called for Democrats to focus more on practical policies that help families rather than getting caught up in other issues that may not connect with everyday voters, especially when Republicans like Katie Britt have raised questions about authenticity in their messaging.
