Congress and the Institute for Women’s Health hosted 43 member countries on Capitol Hill this week for the sixth annual Geneva Consensus Declaration.
The gathering brought together signature nations standing for the right to life, family, women’s health, and national sovereignty. The declaration’s objectives are to secure meaningful health and development gains for women, protect life at all stages, defend the family as the fundamental unit of society, and work together across the U.N. system.
A letter from President Donald Trump, read by Vince Haley, said the United States will work closely with allies and partners to advance the declaration’s mission. Trump said his administration will stand for 'the dignity of human life, the health and well-being of women, the strength of the family, and the right to defend these values and traditions.'
The U.S. rejoined the declaration in 2025 after President Joe Biden removed it in 2021. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., said he is passing the torch to Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., to lead the effort in Congress.
Why it matters: this is diplomacy built around a values agenda, not just trade or military power. The White House is signaling that sovereignty, family policy, and life issues are part of U.S. influence abroad.
The bottom line: supporters see a restored American role in a coalition that challenges the administrative state’s favorite global priorities. Critics will see ideology; backers will see leadership. Either way, the administration is using taxpayer-backed foreign policy to project a moral message, not just a strategic one.