Trenton, NJ – New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin has joined 21 other states in a sweeping legal move to block a proposed Trump administration rule that would end abortion access for veterans and their families at Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers — marking the state’s 36th lawsuit against Donald Trump across his presidential tenures.
The comment letter, submitted Wednesday, argues that the rule — which would repeal the Biden-era “Reproductive Health Services” policy — puts the health and lives of service members and their families at risk. The Biden rule, finalized in March 2024, permits abortions through VA care in cases of life endangerment, rape, or incest, and allows for abortion counseling services.
The Trump administration’s proposed rule, first published on August 4, would roll back those protections entirely, leading to what Platkin calls a “dangerous and extreme” shift in federal policy affecting veterans’ reproductive rights.
“Our service members deserve better than to lose access to critical reproductive healthcare services because of President Trump’s extreme anti-choice political agenda,” Platkin said in a statement released Thursday.
According to the coalition’s comment letter, the proposed rule provides unclear guidance on whether physicians can perform abortions even to save a patient’s life. The preamble of the proposal suggests lifesaving care may still be provided, but the actual regulatory text contains a full ban — raising concerns about legal interpretation and enforceability.
The attorneys general also argue the rule is out of step with decades of precedent, calling it a drastic departure from existing federal and state abortion exemptions, and claiming it is rooted in politics, not medical science.
The new rule would not only eliminate abortion access for veterans but also for their eligible dependents and survivors. Critics say the move is part of a broader campaign by the Trump administration to restrict reproductive access nationwide, especially following the Supreme Court’s 2022 ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade.
New Jersey was an early backer of the Biden-era VA rule, with Platkin submitting a comment in support of it in October 2022. Now, three years later, his office is once again leading efforts to preserve it.
Joining New Jersey in the latest legal maneuver are attorneys general from California, Massachusetts, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia.
No court date has yet been scheduled, but the coalition’s comment letter stands as a formal challenge to the Trump administration’s proposed rollback.
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Key Points
- New Jersey files its 36th lawsuit against Donald Trump’s administration
- AG Platkin joins 21 other states to oppose abortion rollback for veterans
- Rule would eliminate abortion care and counseling at VA facilities
Trump-era rule faces backlash as NJ leads fight to protect veterans’ abortion access
