On the Fourth of July, the Trump administration launched new savings accounts for children, known as 'Trump accounts', as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. These accounts are intended to help families pay for college and other expenses. However, Guardian columnist Moira Donegan argues that the accounts are actually the work of the pronatalist movement, which aims to encourage women to have as many children as possible.
Pronatalist movement and its backers
According to Donegan, the movement is backed by powerful rightwing figures such as Vice President JD Vance and billionaire Elon Musk. The movement's goals are tied to the racist conspiracy theory known as the 'great replacement', which falsely claims that white populations are being replaced by immigrants and minorities.
How Trump accounts work
The accounts function as savings vehicles for children, with the government providing initial seed funding and potential tax benefits. Families can contribute additional funds, which can be used for education, housing, or other approved expenses. Critics, however, argue that the accounts are a ploy to promote higher birth rates among certain demographics.
Strange bedfellows
Donegan spoke with Carter Sherman about the unusual coalition behind the pronatalist movement, which includes tech billionaires, conservative politicians, and anti-immigration activists. The movement's ties to the 'great replacement' theory have raised concerns about its true intentions.
