Minnesota NOW

Minnesota NOW is a multi-issue, grassroots organization that’s been fighting for equality and justice since 1971

Feminism in Action

Donate Join NOW Take Action

en English
af Afrikaanssq Albanianam Amharicar Arabichy Armenianaz Azerbaijanieu Basquebe Belarusianbn Bengalibs Bosnianbg Bulgarianca Catalanceb Cebuanony Chichewazh-CN Chinese (Simplified)zh-TW Chinese (Traditional)co Corsicanhr Croatiancs Czechda Danishnl Dutchen Englisheo Esperantoet Estoniantl Filipinofi Finnishfr Frenchfy Frisiangl Galicianka Georgiande Germanel Greekgu Gujaratiht Haitian Creoleha Hausahaw Hawaiianiw Hebrewhi Hindihmn Hmonghu Hungarianis Icelandicig Igboid Indonesianga Irishit Italianja Japanesejw Javanesekn Kannadakk Kazakhkm Khmerko Koreanku Kurdish (Kurmanji)ky Kyrgyzlo Laola Latinlv Latvianlt Lithuanianlb Luxembourgishmk Macedonianmg Malagasyms Malayml Malayalammt Maltesemi Maorimr Marathimn Mongolianmy Myanmar (Burmese)ne Nepalino Norwegianps Pashtofa Persianpl Polishpt Portuguesepa Punjabiro Romanianru Russiansm Samoangd Scottish Gaelicsr Serbianst Sesothosn Shonasd Sindhisi Sinhalask Slovaksl Slovenianso Somalies Spanishsu Sudanesesw Swahilisv Swedishtg Tajikta Tamilte Teluguth Thaitr Turkishuk Ukrainianur Urduuz Uzbekvi Vietnamesecy Welshxh Xhosayi Yiddishyo Yorubazu Zulu
  • About
    • About MN NOW
    • Get Involved
    • Calendar of Events
    • Become a Member
    • Volunteer/Intern with Us
  • Issues
    • Constitutional Equality
    • Economic Justice
    • Freedom from Violence
    • LGBTQ Rights
    • Racial Justice
    • Reproductive Rights
  • News
  • Foundation
    • Planned Giving
  • PAC
    • MN NOW PAC – Candidates
    • Candidates Seeking Endorsement
  • Chapters
    • Fergus Falls Area NOW
    • Minnesota Valley NOW
    • MSP NOW
  • Events
    • 2023 Annual Conference Business Meeting
    • 2023 National Conference
    • Calendar of Events
  • Escape

July 21, 2018 by NOW National

Donald Trump Bullies Breastfeeding Mothers—And Sells Out Their Health To Business Interests

Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt

When Donald Trump takes the world stage, the world trembles.  President Trump’s disastrous European tour was foreshadowed by the news that earlier this year, the Trump Administration pushed the World Health Organization to weaken or trash a resolution meant to encourage breastfeeding and to minimize the inaccurate marketing of substitutes.According to several officials at the WHO meeting, once Trump’s delegation was unsuccessful in removing language that affirmed support for breastfeeding, they turned to bullying and threatening other countries that were considering introducing the wording.   According to the New York Times,

           “The Americans were blunt: If Ecuador refused to drop the initiative, Washington would unleash punishing trade measures and withdraw crucial military aid. The Ecuadorian government quickly acquiesced.”

A British health policy advocate at the meeting said, “What happened was tantamount to blackmail, with the U.S. holding the world hostage and trying to overturn nearly 40 years of consensus on the best way to protect infant and young child health.”

But that’s Donald Trump’s way.  He’s the hostage-taker-in-chief.

Whether it’s infants at the border or at their mother’s breast, Donald Trump sees foreign policy as a vehicle for advancing his own business interests, and to funnel more wealth to his friends and financial backers.  The powerful infant formula industry has its hooks in Donald Trump—just as it’s been able to influence scores of U.S. politicians and agencies.

Donald Trump is guilty of collusion—with the formula industry.  Together, they are perpetuating a system of racial disparities that harm women and children.  Because women of color are one of the most vulnerable populations in the country, they are easy to target with factors that make it impossible for them to actually breastfeed.

Both the WHO and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that infants consuming nothing but breast milk for the first six months of life.  Donald Trump may not respect science, or value public health—but we do. NOW calls on women to demand that U.S. officials stop ignoring decades of research that proves breastfeeding is best for children.

Contact

Brittany T. Oliver, comms@now.org

About NOW National

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Search

Trailblazers come in many colors!

Women Trailblazers
Suffrage As A “Badass” Revolution
MN Suffrage History
MN Suffrage Takes Off

MN Fast Start Stalls for 50 Years
Women Chosen Across America
Elected Women Worldwide
Global Women Ambassadors

Get Minnesota NOW Updates

Minnesota NOW

Minnesota NOW is a multi-issue, grassroots organization that’s been fighting for equality and justice since 1971.

Learn more about us.

Contact

Mailing Address
P.O. Box 912
Burnsville, MN 55337

E-Mail
mnnow@mnnow.org

Social

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Handcrafted with by Mapped Digital. NOW Chapter Websites Reinvented.