Former President Donald Trump said Monday that abortion laws should be left up to each state, adding that many states have made new decisions since appointing Supreme Court justices who voted to overturn federal protections for abortion laws. Regulations have been enacted.
In a four-and-a-half-minute video released on his Truth social media platform, President Trump falsely claims that in response to the Supreme Court's 2022 Dobbs decision, he is “performing abortions that everyone wants from a legal standpoint.” I did it. A majority of Americans consistently say in public opinion polls that they support the Roe v. Wade protections that the court has abolished.
President Trump said, “Now that we have the abortion that everyone wanted from a legal standpoint, each state will decide by vote or by law or both, and whatever a state decides must be the law of the land. My view is that we must,” President Trump said.
In doing so, he will take a stand on the national ban, which has been pushed by some of his staunchest allies, including Sen. Lindsey Graham (R.S.C.) and former White House aide Kellyanne Conway. I refused. President Trump has hinted in the past that he might accept a nationwide ban, citing a 15- or 16-week deadline as a common position.
Trump did not say what he would do if he were elected president and Congress issued a nationwide ban on him.
His silence on the issue has upset at least one prominent anti-abortion group in Washington. Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, has urged Republicans to implement a multi-week national ban, saying she is “deeply disappointed in President Trump's position on the issue.” “
“By calling this issue 'back to the states,' we are ceding the national debate to Democrats, who are relentless in their efforts to pass legislation that would require abortions during the first nine months of pregnancy,” she said. “If successful, states' rights will be wiped out.”
Congressional Democrats signed a bill limiting states' ability to restrict abortion rights. No Democratic member of Congress has proposed “mandatory abortion.” Unless one party can simultaneously control 60 votes in the House and Senate, the prospects for passing legislation restricting or expanding abortion rights are bleak. It is unlikely that President Trump will introduce a bill banning abortion.
Over the past quarter century, and since becoming a presidential candidate in 2015, Trump has been in the spotlight on the issue of abortion. Since the start of his 2024 campaign, he has said little about specifically what policies he would support in the post-Roe v. Wade era if he won the White House.
Trump, who lives in Florida, has not announced his position on the state's new six-week curfew. When teasing support for a national ban, his words often appear to contradict official statements released by his campaign.
President Trump said he supports exceptions in cases of rape and incest and to protect the life of the mother, a position he reiterated in a video Monday. However, the president does not decide how states enact their laws.
President Trump frequently gloats that he is responsible for reversing Roe v. Wade, which dismantled protections for reproductive rights. But he also blamed the issue for Republican losses in 2022 and said the party needs to learn how to talk about abortion in a way that doesn't alienate potential voters.
Last September, more than a year after abortion protections were rolled back, he vaguely indicated in an interview on NBC News' “Meet the Press” that he would be the voice for the abortion agreement, but he didn't know how. was not disclosed.
“Let me just tell you what I would do,” he said. “I'm going to unite with all groups to create something that's acceptable.”
At the time, he said he would not sign a federal ban on abortions at 15 weeks.
But in recent months, President Trump has moved toward a federal abortion ban, even though some of his statements contradict those of his campaign. After reports surfaced that he told allies he was considering a federal ban on abortions at 16 weeks, his campaign dismissed them as “fake news.” Shortly after, Graham told NBC News, “President Trump is 16 weeks old.” And Trump himself suggested in an interview that he supports a 15-week ban.
The prospect that a top Republican would support a federal ban on abortion comes at a time when Democrats have made abortion a central issue in their attacks in battleground states where some members are trying to moderate their positions. It could put lawmakers in a trick box. But the Trump campaign's statements seem to lean more toward states' rights than a federal ban.
“President Trump is pro-life, but he also supports states' rights because he supports voters' right to decide for themselves,” Trump senior adviser Brian Hughes said in a statement. We have made it clear that there is,” he said. He added that he “believes that the voters should have the final say.”
At a campaign rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan, last week, President Trump declined to say much when asked if he supported the Florida Supreme Court's six-week abortion ban, before announcing that his campaign would “abort abortions next week.” We will issue a statement regarding this.” had just supported.
President Joe Biden's campaign is capitalizing on Trump's past statements about abortion, particularly his involvement in overturning Roe v. Wade.
“Donald Trump doesn't trust women,” Biden says in a new ad. “i will do it.”
