Trump Establishes NIH Women’s Health Division via Executive Order
President Trump signs an executive order establishing a new women's health division at the NIH and a White House task force, championed by Melania Trump.
POLICY WIRE — Washington, United States — President Trump signed an executive order on Monday establishing a dedicated women’s health division inside the National Institutes of Health, alongside a brand new White House Women’s Health Task Force.
First lady Melania Trump stood beside him in the Rose Garden during the signing ceremony, telling attendees that the directive will advance five core objectives.
Describing the initiative as a transformative moment for American women, the first lady noted that while past generations fought for women’s rights, the current generation will fight to discover medical cures that ensure women can live healthy and full lives.
Mr. Trump acknowledged that the first lady was the driving force behind the concept of creating a specialized women’s health division at the NIH, expressing surprise that such a unit did not already exist.
Following the president’s signature, the first lady also added her own signature to the executive order document, though her signing carries no formal legal weight.
While the president promised that the public would soon learn about incredible ongoing efforts to deliver necessary care to women, he did not provide specific details regarding the initiative.
It remains undetermined how much financial backing will be allocated toward research efforts, fast-tracking therapeutics, or lowering the costs of medical breakthroughs for female patients.
The rollout of the new women’s health initiative follows closely behind White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and her public battle with breast cancer.
Wiles maintained her demanding role following her March diagnosis and shared the news in September that she is now cancer-free.
During the Monday event, Mr. Trump praised Wiles as fantastic and a tremendous fighter who cares deeply about advancing healthcare for women in America.
White House spokeswoman Allison Schuster explained that the newly formed White House task force will focus on closing major research gaps and improving care for women throughout every stage of life, particularly targeting widespread health ailments.
Sophia Vlahakis contributed to the reporting for this article.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
