Former President Donald Trump on Monday released a video statement on his position on the issue of abortion for the 2024 presidential election elating some supporters while angering others in what’s proving to be one of the thorniest wedge issues of the year.
POLITICO reports that President Trump has determined the right to access abortion services is best left up to individual states, putting him in opposition with other national GOP figures who have sought to restrict the procedure nationwide. Previous federal measures limiting abortions to the first 15 weeks of a pregnancy have been introduced by Senators Tim Scott (R-SC) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC).
Instead, Trump said, he will leave it “up to the states to do the right thing” if elected again, painting Democrats as “radical” on the issue.
“The states will determine by vote or legislation or perhaps both, and whatever they decide must be the law of the land,” Trump said. “Many states will be different. Many will have a different number of weeks, or some will [be] more conservative than others, and that’s what they will be. At the end of the day, this is all about the will of the people.”
Abortion has been a double-edged sword for Republicans, galvanizing pro-life activists for decades and culminating in the 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade. Since then, President Trump has criticized other Republicans for speaking “inaccurately” about the issue while costing the GOP winnable races in conservative strongholds like Kansas and Ohio. He asked voters to “follow their heart” on the issue and reminded them of the important stakes of expanding or restricting abortion in their respective states.
“You must also win elections to restore our culture and, in fact, to save our country, which is currently and very sadly a nation in decline,” Trump said.
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The position drew a swift rebuke from Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, who said in a statement to the outlet that she is committed to helping Trump “defeat President Biden” but that the Republican leader is retreating on an issue that has helped his party win federal races for years.
“We are deeply disappointed in President Trump’s position,” said Dannenfelser, who last week said she believed he would call for a 15-week national limit. “Saying the issue is ‘back to the states,’” Dannenfesler continued, “cedes the national debate to the Democrats who are working relentlessly to enact legislation mandating abortion throughout all nine months of pregnancy.”
Fissures within the GOP’s pro-life coalition became apparent following an Alabama court’s recent decision to ban in-vitro fertilization, a medical procedure supported by large swaths of the American public.
In response, President Trump and pro-life Republicans like House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-GA) urged the Georgia legislature to amend state law to enshrine access, saying IVF is a critical tool for couples struggling with fertility but committed to raising children. President Trump praised state leaders for moving quickly, but it put him at odds with more hardline pro-life conservatives who argued that any fertilized embryo should be given personhood status. IVF procedures typically require the disposal of less virile embryos in order to select an ideal one for surrogacy.