Press Release
Economic Security Project Responds to Trump Administration’s Proposed Changes to Child Care Assistance
09. 08. 2026
“The Trump administration is using strained Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) resources to uphold its vision of what a family should look like. The CCDF was designed to help parents afford care while working or pursuing careers. An overwhelming majority of its recipients — 80% — are single, working parents, mostly mothers. Rather than add new funding to give married, two-parent households the choice to stay home, the administration is essentially pitting married parents and single parents against each other to fight over resources we all need.
People want flexibility to make choices that are right for themselves and their families. If the Trump Administration is serious about supporting them, they should advance policies that can offer both resources and flexibility. For one, the expanded, monthly Child Tax Credit would give families extra cash to buy childcare, food, formula and anything else they need. Second, universal public childcare would give more families the flexibility to parent on their own terms. Lastly, the administration could create a national allowance by expanding TANF for low-income families, or offer cash to families during pregnancy and soon after the birth of a child to support young families when costs tend to spike and wages often dip. The Trump Administration’s newest proposal instead makes a moral judgment that honors married households while jeopardizing support for single, working parents.”