Former Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards said "if people don't support abortion, they don't have to have one" in response Friday to those opposed to Planned Parenthood receiving federal funding.
The Trump administration is set to announce the resurrection of a Reagan-era rule denying federal funding to clinics that discuss abortion with patients or share space with abortion providers.
Richards blasted the decision during an NPR interview as a "gag" rule that will destroy trust between patients and doctors, arguing women won't get all the information they deserve about their pregnancies.
"Can you respond to the basic assertion being made there, that some people are profoundly morally opposed to abortion and they just don't want the federal government to have anything to do with it, so just cut it off," NPR host Steve Inskeep asked. "Set it to the side. Why not?"
"This is a right that was established for women in this country more than 40 years ago, and if people don't support abortion, they don't have to have one," Richards said. "I think the important thing is, women in this country have the right to have all the health care information they need to make the best decisions about themselves, their pregnancies, and their future."
Planned Parenthood is the nation's largest abortion provider and receives $500 million annually in federal funding. Richards stepped down after 12 years as president on April 30.