Reference News Network, January 20 report: The U.S. "Newsweek" website published an article titled "How Should Trump Deal with the U.S. Population Crisis" on January 18. The content is translated as follows:

Since the beginning of his second term, U.S. President Trump has clearly expressed his concern about the low birth rate and aging population in the United States.

The U.S. government introduced a series of policies aimed at increasing the birth rate at the beginning of 2025, including an executive order to expand the coverage of in vitro fertilization medical services, and a Department of Transportation directive requiring priority consideration for communities with higher marriage and birth rates than the national average.

However, after a recent report highlighted that economic and other types of uncertainties continue to hinder the increase in the U.S. birth rate, experts have been giving their opinions on what further measures the U.S. government should take to address the population crisis.

Some people argue from an economic perspective that a low birth rate poses a problem for the country. However, others warn that calling the low birth rate "a problem" itself is problematic, as one major factor behind the global decline in birth rates is the rise in "women's autonomy."

A nonprofit organization that collects and analyzes population data, the Population Reference Bureau, emphasized in a report released on December 18 last year: "The decision to have children is greatly influenced by uncertainty, stress, and views of the future."

One major factor is economic uncertainty.

Professor Karen Guzzo of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill said in an interview with this publication, "Whether one can afford a house, find a good job with benefits, access healthcare, and whether the prices of groceries and other necessities will rise" are all issues that Americans care about.

She said that unpredictability affects young people especially significantly. As marriage and childbearing become "less mandatory," the idea that "one should not get married before finding a good job, having a stable income, and finding a partner with similar conditions" is becoming increasingly common.

Professor Mandy Max of Northeastern University said that recent cuts and adjustments to important programs such as Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program have also "increased the risks associated with having children."

White House spokesperson Kush Das said, "Raising a child requires the strength of an entire village, and revitalizing American communities and families requires systemic change."

He said, "This is why the Trump administration is adopting a multidimensional approach to help Americans who are already parents or who wish to become parents: expanding access to fertility medical care, funding it through 'Trump accounts' for newborns, and developing a strong economic agenda to restore the prosperity of American towns."

Professor Sarah Heflin of the Ohio State University Population Research Institute said, "Better employment, more affordable housing, more accessible healthcare, and stability in America's global standing—policies that create more security and stability in people's lives may bring more certainty to childbirth."

Max believes that policies that promote marriage and eliminate economic barriers to marriage may be helpful, as well as projects that strengthen the social safety net.

Translation by Lin Zhaohui

Original: toutiao.com/article/7597342918274105883/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author themselves.