Yes.
In December 2025, the Trump administration largely banned the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs from providing abortion services, reversing a Biden-era policy that had allowed VA providers to offer abortion care and counseling in limited circumstances.
Under the change, VA facilities may provide abortions only in narrowly defined, life-threatening emergencies. The administration has confirmed that prior exceptions for rape and incest no longer apply.
The policy affects veterans and their dependents nationwide, including in states where abortion is otherwise legally protected, and was implemented through internal VA guidance rather than legislation or a formal rulemaking process. Arizona, home to a large veteran population, is directly affected: The VA Phoenix Health Care System alone serves more than 139,000 veterans across central Arizona.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
The Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting partners with Gigafact to produce fact briefs, or quick-response fact checks, about trending claims relating to Arizona.
Sources
- Reconsidering the Authority of the Department of Veterans Affairs to Provide Abortion Services, Justice.Gov
- Trump Administration Quietly Bans Abortions for Veterans—Even After Rape or When Health is in Danger, Center for Reproductive Rights
- About Us, VA Phoenix Health Care System
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The Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting is partnering with Gigafact to produce timely fact briefs, or quick-response fact checks, about trending claims relating to Arizona.
