March for Life speakers to include DeSantis, Bishop Thomas

WASHINGTON (OSV News) — Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., and Bishop Daniel E. Thomas of Toledo, Ohio, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities, will be among the speakers at the 52nd annual March for Life, the group said Jan. 9.

DeSantis, a Catholic who ran an unsuccessful bid for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, signed abortion restrictions in Florida during his tenure. Florida was one of just three states that had abortion-related ballot measures in 2024 where voters did not reject restrictions. Unlike the other nine states with such measures, the Sunshine State requires proposed amendments to its constitution to reach a threshold of 60 percent to pass.

President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance, who will begin their term just days before the March, were not among the speakers named Jan. 9. Trump addressed the March during his first term, as did then-Vice President Mike Pence. But Trump has since sought to distance himself from the issue, such as taking the campaign position that abortion should be left to the states to legislate after the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision overturned prior precedent declaring abortion as a constitutional right. Trump’s recent stance has disappointed pro-life activists who sought a commitment from him to support a federal 15-week ban.

Jeanne Mancini, president of March for Life Education and Defense Fund, and Jennie Bradley Lichter, the group’s president-elect, issued statements thanking the speakers for their participation in the event, which they describe as the world’s largest annual human rights demonstration.

“We are overjoyed to welcome these inspiring pro-life leaders at this year’s 52nd March for Life,” Mancini said. “For the past 52 years, the March for Life has powerfully witnessed to the tragedy of abortion, while calling for stronger protections for women and the unborn. This year’s speakers will address the 2025 theme — ‘Life: Why We March’ which reminds us of the basic truth that every life has inherent human dignity from the start.”

Bradley Lichter said she is “thrilled to be joining the March for Life at this pivotal moment, and I couldn’t be more excited to share the stage this year with dedicated elected officials, pro-life leaders, and other great Americans who will share their testimonies about why they fight for Life.”

“There is nothing else like the March for Life, and this year’s lineup is a reminder of the enduring strength of our movement,” she added.

Other scheduled speakers include Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J.; professional surfer Bethany Hamilton; Lila Rose, president of Live Action; as well as Mancini and Bradley Lichter.

The group said it selected this year’s theme, “Life: Why We March,” to return “to our roots to acknowledge the humanity of each person, while also highlighting the need to protect and support both mother and child through the thousands of resources available to them.”

“Our goal this year is to remind and reignite everyone — politicians, legislators, families, and women – in the truth that every life, unborn and born, has inherent dignity, meaning, and value, and as such is always worth fighting for,” they said.

The 2025 March for Life Rally is scheduled for Jan. 24 on the Washington Monument grounds in Washington.

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