Richmond Petersburg, VA, October 19, 2026 —

President Donald Trump is set to sign an executive order aimed at bolstering federal research on women’s health, according to the information provided about the plan. The order would establish a new women’s health division at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

First Lady Melania Trump supports the plan. No further details were provided about her role in developing or advancing it.

The announcement describes the order’s broad aim and the creation of the NIH division, but does not specify when Trump is expected to sign it. It also does not outline the division’s responsibilities, how it would be organized, or what research areas it would prioritize.

Information about funding, staffing, implementation timelines and any changes to existing NIH programs was not provided. The summary also does not state whether the executive order has been released publicly or provide its text. As a result, the division’s planned scope and the practical effects of the order cannot be determined from the available details.

The plan is framed as an effort to strengthen federal research on women’s health. Further information would be needed to explain how the new division would pursue that goal and how its work would fit within the NIH.


Story summarized from the original created by BILL BARROW, Associated Press on www.wric.com, see more information here.

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