Katie Miller, the wife of White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller, recently shared a Mother's Day wish on X (formerly Twitter) that has ignited a firestorm of criticism online. The pregnant mother of three posted a photo of herself with her fourth child on the way, accompanied by a controversial message: 'In honour of Mother's Day, a reminder that peak feminism is having babies. The most radical thing a woman can do is embrace her biological destiny.'
Online Reactions
While Miller may have intended to inspire women to start families, her words provoked a strong backlash. Many users accused her of promoting a narrow view of womanhood and feminism. One user wrote, 'I think peak feminism is a woman doing whatever she wants to do regardless of what anyone else says. Being a broodmare is not a requirement for being a woman.' Another commented, 'By definition having children is NOT radical. The most radical thing a woman can do is NOT have children. Objectively. Stop using words you don't know the meaning of.'
A third user added, 'Feminism is having a choice, and respecting the choices of other women. If a woman's choice is to have 10 babies and stay home with them all-great! If a woman chooses to never marry, or have children-great! Stop pushing your beliefs on other people.' Another simply stated, 'Not everyone wants to be a mother. Embrace your own journey and stop capping nonsense.'
Context of Declining Birth Rates
Miller's advice comes amid a serious decline in U.S. birth rates. The American fertility rate dropped to a record low in 2025, with data showing 53.1 births per 1,000 women aged 15-44. This decline has persisted for nearly two decades. Consequently, prominent Republican figures including Miller, Vice President JD Vance, and Erika Kirk have been promoting family life and motherhood. In January 2026, Vance advised Americans that they will find 'great meaning' if they dedicate themselves to the 'creation and sustenance of human life.' Similarly, Kirk, the wife of late far-right activist Charlie Kirk, urged women not to 'put off' having kids, saying, 'If you're a young woman don't put it off. You can always have a career, you can always go back to work.'
