Watch CBS News

Walz falsely says Project 2025 calls for federal pregnancy monitoring agency

Reality Check: Does Project 2025 feature federal pregnancy monitoring agency?
Reality Check: Does Project 2025 feature federal pregnancy monitoring agency? 01:57

By Pat Kessler

MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota governor and Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz is using the controversial conservative plan called Project 2025 to claim that a new Trump administration will monitor pregnancies.

Project 2025 is a 900-page conservative manifesto by dozens of conservative groups and many high-ranking officials from the former Trump administration.

There's a lot in there, but it doesn't say what Walz claimed in Superior, Wisconsin, last Saturday.

"By the way, Project 2025, some of you want to know in there, they've got a national pregnancy coordinator that tracks all pregnancies," Walz said. "Think about what they're saying in Project 2025. You're going to have to register with a new federal agency when you get pregnant."  

6p-sot-rc-walz-project-wcco65kh.jpg
Gov. Tim Walz WCCO

That is false. There is no doubt that the Project 2025 plan recommends restrictions on abortion access, including the abortion pill. And it wants the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to collect this information from states:

  • Number and method of abortions
  • Reason for abortion
  • How far along
  • Pregnant people's state of residence, and more

However, it does not create a federal agency to monitor pregnancies, nor does it require pregnant people to register.

The Harris-Walz ticket is pushing hard to link Trump to Project 2025, which it describes as a roadmap to a second Trump administration.

Trump is distancing himself from the document and says he knows "nothing about it," even if some of his policies and the project intersect.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.