First Lady Jill Biden has unveiled a controversial $500 million annual spending plan for women’s health research, to be funded by the Department of Defense (DoD), at the Clinton Global Initiative in New York City on Monday.
The move has sparked criticism and confusion among observers.
“The Department of Defense has now committed half a billion dollars in spending on women’s health, to women in the service, which then transcends to all women — and so I’m so excited about that,” Jill Biden declared. “It’s a big deal, and it’s about time. So we’re gonna get moving on this.”
The choice of venue for this announcement — a conference co-founded by Bill and Hillary Clinton — has raised questions about the setting that announces a major government spending initiative. Adding to the strangeness, moments after the First Lady’s announcement, the Clintons presented President Joe Biden with the 2024 Clinton Global Citizen Award.
President Biden’s confusing reaction to the award ceremony further fueled criticism.
“This is what you call being trapped,” as Bill Clinton stood behind him. In a bizarre display, he then turned to Hillary Clinton and said, “Hillary, I want to thank you — and I maybe shouldn’t do this publicly — but thank you personally for the way you have helped me, the way you’ve spoken up for me with such passion. I can’t tell you… you can ask Jill. Anyway, I love you. I love you.”
“I mean, this was Jill’s movement,” he continued, and said it was “going to go down as one of the most significant programs in our administration.”
Critics have questioned why the Department of Defense is tasked with this research funding rather than other federal health agencies.
Social media users have been quick to slam the DoD spending plan for inconsistency and poor planning. Take a look —
You, an ordinary citizen: How are the dollars you take from my paycheck to give to the Pentagon being spent to vanquish or intimidate our enemies?
Jill Biden:https://t.co/8qQCG5visG
— Dan McLaughlin (@baseballcrank) September 24, 2024
Notice the thread is locked. They don't WANT discussion on how they are misspending money. https://t.co/bDWfCW9JrU
— Rank Badjin (@badjin_rank) September 24, 2024
1/2 Billion dollars from DOD for "women's health research"???
DOD money?
And why is SHE announcing it? And at the CLINTON Global slush fund?
WTAF? https://t.co/1eyOY6MFEN
— L A R R Y (@LarryOConnor) September 24, 2024
Jill Biden’s increasingly prominent role in the administration has also raised alarm.
Recently, she led a White House Cabinet meeting after only a brief introduction by the President, a move that some see as overstepping traditional First Lady boundaries.
As the new DoD spending plan is set to take effect on October 1, questions continue to mount about the appropriateness of using Defense Department funds for this research, the decision-making process behind the initiative, and the First Lady’s involvement in its promotion.
With the 2024 election approaching and Vice President Kamala Harris facing challenges to her election bid, this latest move has added more fuel to debates about the administration’s overall incompetence.