On Tuesday, the front page of the New York Times featured an almost absurd juxtaposition of headlines that highlighted one more example of MAGA cognitive dissonance. “Would $5,000 Bonuses Spur New Baby Boom?” read a headline over an article about the Trump White House entertaining proposals for increasing birthrates. “E.P.A. Poised to Cancel Grants to Study Dangers to Children,” blared the other one.

That first story reported that the Trump administration was seeking ideas to boost American procreation. These included handing out $5,000 to every mother after a delivery, initiating a program to educate women about their menstrual cycles, and reserving 30 percent of Fulbright scholarships for applicants who are married or parents. (Oops! The Trump administration just suspended Fulbright payments.) Such ideas are being pushed by a burgeoning pronatalism movement that wants more babies and that claims JD Vance (father of three) and Elon Musk (father of 14, and maybe more) as adherents.

These folks believe declining birthrates imperil humanity and, in particular, American civilization. And some pronatalists proclaim it’s time to bring back the traditional family, meaning a family formed by a heterosexual couple in which the wife stays at home popping out and taking care of wee ones. Advocates for more breeding have suggested the White House create a “National Medal of Motherhood” to bestow upon mothers who produce six or more children. Trump himself has called for a new “baby boom.”