A new report claims that President Donald Trump’s administration is considering a $5,000 “baby bonus” and other proposals to increase the marriage rate and birth rate in the United States and reverse the decline in births that the country has experienced in recent years.
The New York Times reported that White House aides have been meeting with various policy experts and advocates regarding plans to encourage women in the United States to have more children, according to four sources who have participated in the recent meetings. The outlet reported that one of the ideas proposed to increase both the marriage rate and birth rate in the United States would be to give a $5,000 “baby bonus” to every mother who has a child.
According to The New York Times, the anonymous sources explained that a second proposal is to reserve roughly 30% of the government-sponsored Fullbright Scholarship program for married individuals or people who have children, while a third proposal is to provide education to women regarding menstrual cycles to help women better understand when the best time for conception would be.
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Last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced, “The general fertility rate in the United States decreased by 3% from 2022, reaching a historic low. This marks the second consecutive year of decline, following a brief 1% increase from 2020 to 2021. From 2014 to 2020, the rate consistently decreased by 2% annually.”
The New York Times reported that White House officials have not solidified any of the plans to reverse the declining birth rate in the United States. However, the sources suggested that the issue will likely become an important part of Trump’s agenda as key figures, such as Vice President J.D. Vance and Department of Government Efficiency leader and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, push for an increase in the birth rate.
In a statement to The New York Times, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that Trump “is proudly implementing policies to uplift American families.”
“The President wants America to be a country where all children can safely grow up and achieve the American dream,” Leavitt told the outlet. “As a mother myself, I am proud to work for a president who is taking significant action to leave a better country for the next generation.”
Asked about The New York Times report regarding a $5,000 “baby bonus” to incentivize Americans to have more children, Trump told The New York Post, “Sounds like a good idea to me.”
