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WASHINGTON, D.C. (LifeSiteNews) — LifeSiteNews editor-in-chief John-Henry Westen interviewed several prominent pro-life leaders and doctors during the 2025 March for Life. They discussed President Trump’s pardons for pro-lifers, the fight against pro-abortion ballot initiatives, growing concerns about American medical schools requiring students to undergo abortion training, and more.
Westen opened Part 1 by speaking with Katie Daniel, director of legal affairs and private counsel for Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, about the pardons Trump issued for 23 pro-life activists who were imprisoned under the Biden administration. He first asked Daniel if there were any conditions to the activists’ release or if they’d have to appear in court again.
The ongoing battle to repeal the FACE Act
She clarified that because of their pardons, their cases are now dropped, and they are free without any further conditions. Then Daniel emphasized that while these pro-life activists have been freed, the fight to repeal the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, a Clinton-era law long used to prosecute peaceful pro-life activists, including those pardoned, continues.
“We look forward to supporting that. This is a law that needs to be repealed because it has been used for so much evil, to go after peaceful pro-life protesters. So it’s got to go. The law is flawed,” Daniel said.
Westen noted that the freed pro-lifers are hardcore activists who are very likely to go right back on the streets to protest and counsel women about the evil of abortion, asking Daniel if they could do this without facing ramifications for their previous prosecutions.
“They are Americans with free speech rights just like the rest of us, so I’m sure we will see them back sidewalk counseling, speaking to women because they care so much about moms and their babies, and they’re free to do that,” Daniel said.
Ongoing legal battles to defund Planned Parenthood
A bit later in Part 1, Westen spoke with Erik Baptist, senior counsel of Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), about a case that they’ll be taking to the U.S. Supreme Court later this year over whether South Carolina and other states can defund Planned Parenthood.
Westen asked how Planned Parenthood could even sue since it makes sense that a new government can come in and stop funding certain organizations if they choose.
“Well, Planned Parenthood essentially says they’re entitled to these funds from the taxpayers. And the state of South Carolina is like, ‘No, we have the discretion on whom to give this money to.’ And so that’s essentially what Planned Parenthood is suing for, and we’re arguing that,” Baptist explained. “They’re not entitled to it. They don’t have a right to ask for this money. And so the Supreme Court should deny them that.”
Mandatory abortion training in medical schools?
In Part 2 of the interviews, Westen spoke with Drs. Christina Francis and Susan Bane from the American Association of Pro-Life OBGYNs (AAPLOG). He first asked them about medical schools in the U.S. moving towards mandatory abortion training.
“The accrediting body for medical training programs has now required abortion training as opt-out training, meaning it’s considered standard training. If a medical student or resident doesn’t want to do it, they have to opt out of it,” Francis explained. “We all know when you are the lowly, little intern how much courage that’s going to take to tell the people who are determining the course of your career that you don’t want to do that training.”
“So it’s very coercive, and so many students are self-selecting out of the field of OBGYN because they’re so afraid they’re going to be forced to perform an abortion,” she added.
She further underscored that AAPLOG aims to let medical students know that the vast majority of OBGYNs do not perform abortions, and in fact there are many other doctors in the field who share their pro-life views.
Message for pro-life parents with children considering medical school
Westen next asked what their message is to pro-life parents who might be hesitant to send their children to medical school.
Bane first stressed that being a doctor is a great job, especially being an OBYGN, because they get to care for two patients at one time. She also emphasized that aspiring doctors need to know that medicine and healthcare are built on faith-filled principles, and we need more doctors who will affirm these principles.
“The purpose of medicine is health, healing, and wholeness. The direct and intentional killing of innocent human beings, one of our patients, is not healthcare, it’s not medicine. Medicine is founded on very solid, faith-filled principles: do no harm, never to use death as [a] therapeutic modality,” Bane said.
“So parents, don’t be afraid. We need great, Hippocratic, life-affirming practicing doctors, so we need you to encourage [your children],” she added.
To hear more from pro-life doctors and activists, watch or listen to LifeSite’s full interviews from the March for Life.
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