The March for Life in Washington this year was full of the same resolute energy patriots have come to expect, and Blaze News’ own Capitol Hill reporter Rebeka Zeljko was on the ground asking marchers a simple question: what letter grade would they give President Trump on the abortion issue. Many gave high marks where it counts — for nominating judges who respect the Constitution, for executive actions restoring protections and for making pro-life policy a priority from day one. That mix of gratitude and insistence on more shows the movement is alive, informed, and unwilling to be taken for granted by any politician.

Let’s be clear: President Trump delivered historic support to the pro-life cause by following through on promises others only paid lip service to, from judicial appointments that reshaped the bench to reinstating policies that pushed back on taxpayer-funded abortion. Plainspoken Americans at the march rightly celebrated the fact that the administration put real teeth behind pro-life rhetoric, not just press releases. Conservatives should shout that accomplishment from the rooftops while also remembering the fight is not over; victories in courtrooms and agencies buy time to pass stronger, permanent protections.

But the scene on the mall also exposed a legitimate tension: some grassroots activists handed the president a C or worse after recent comments suggesting flexibility on the Hyde Amendment. Pro-life leaders and rank-and-file voters erupted, calling any willingness to compromise on taxpayer funding of abortion a potential betrayal of core Republican principles. That fury is understandable and healthy — it keeps elected officials honest and reminds the GOP base that certain lines cannot be blurred without political consequence.

Conservatives must be honest-eyed here. Politics requires deals and strategy, but principle must lead. If the White House is negotiating, it should use leverage to lock in Hyde protections and advance pain-capable and born-alive protections, not trade away the fundamental moral stance that wins over the conscience of the nation. Trump’s political instincts are sharp, but grassroots pressure is the engine that turns presidential promises into permanent law, and pro-life Americans at the march made that demand plain.

The crowd’s grading — a mix of A’s for action and F’s for any hint of concession — should be read as tough love from patriotic citizens who helped elect a pro-life administration and who expect it to govern like one. That is the essence of conservative democracy: reward results, refuse betrayal, and hold leaders accountable when rhetoric drifts from reality. Marchers told reporters they’re watching executive orders, judicial confirmations, and legislative language, and they will reward fidelity to life at the ballot box.

Let’s call out the media’s predictable framing, too — coastal outlets will twist every nuance into chaos while ignoring the grassroots victories happening in plain sight. Real Americans who showed up in D.C. are not impressed by cable narratives; they want action that protects unborn life and rejects taxpayer-funded abortions. The conservative movement must amplify those voices, not smooth over their outrage for the sake of short-term optics.

In the end, the March for Life sent a simple message to President Trump and every Republican lawmaker: you earned our trust through deeds, but that trust is contingent on continued, unwavering commitment. The pro-life movement will cheer what matters and punish what doesn’t, and conservatives must stand with those marchers — defending victories while pushing relentlessly for the next one. If Washington learns anything from this year’s grades, let it be that patriotism and principle will always outlast political convenience.