The United States will destroy female contraceptives stored in Europe, which were intended for USAID beneficiary countries.

Washington plans to destroy millions of dollars' worth of contraceptive products currently stored in Europe. A "preliminary decision has been made to destroy certain abortion-inducing contraceptive products from USAID contracts," the US agency for international development that was dismantled by the Trump administration, a State Department spokesperson told Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Thursday, July 24, confirming reports from the British daily The Guardian , which broke the story last weekend.

According to press reports, the items in question are contraceptives (implants, IUDs) worth $9.7 million, stored in Belgium and to be incinerated in France. The State Department spokesperson assured AFP that "only a limited number of products have been approved for destruction" at a cost of $167,000 (142,043.04 euros). "No HIV medications or condoms will be destroyed," he said.

Last week, the Trump administration admitted to destroying tons of food intended for malnourished children because it had expired. These incidents come as the United States is drastically reducing its foreign aid, with Congress cutting some $9 billion in aid last Friday, primarily for overseas destinations.

The Trump administration also shut down USAID, which was folded into the State Department, laying off thousands of employees, and eliminated a series of programs promoting family planning and abortion.

The U.S. government is thus prohibited from providing any assistance, directly or indirectly, to foreign non-governmental organizations that practice or actively promote abortion as a method of family planning.

"The U.S. government's decision (...) is a deliberately irresponsible and harmful act against women and girls around the world," said Avril Benoît, who heads MSF USA, the U.S. branch of the NGO, according to a statement. MSF said other organizations have offered to cover the costs of shipping and distributing these supplies, "but the U.S. government has declined these offers."

"What the Trump administration plans to do with these products, even though they are far from their expiration date, is to incinerate them all," Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen told BBC radio, calling it an act that is "contrary to American values" and "simply wasteful." She said she has introduced legislation to prevent their destruction.

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