Trump: Abortion Rights a 'State Issue'
Trump: Abortion Rights a 'State Issue'
The Facts
In a video statement Monday, former Pres. Donald Trump, who's the presumptive Republican nominee for the 2024 presidential election, said abortion rights should be left up to legislation at the state level and "whatever they decide must be the law of the land, and in this case, the law of the state."
In a video Monday, former Pres. Donald Trump, the presumptive GOP nominee for the 2024 presidential election, said abortion rights should be left up to legislation at the state level and "whatever they decide must be the law of the land, and in this case, the law of the state."
The Spin
Trump has skillfully struck a balance on this issue. He's moderating the party's viewpoint in an effort to court enough voters that help Republicans defeat Democrats in elections and create the culture Republicans want. Trump also hasn't ruled out a potential 15-week federal ban once he's in office.
Trump is rarely wrong, but he's missing the mark by not fighting harder for a federal limit on late-term abortions that's popular in polling. This isn't about geography, it's about protecting the life of an unborn child, and polling shows a limit of 15 weeks at minimum is what the American people want. Trump should rethink his stance.
Trump's announcement is incoherent and leaves numerous unanswered questions, including whether he would sign a federal ban and what his position is on medical abortion. No one is going to forget his role in overturning Roe — which he brags about — or the restrictions that decision brought, so he's not fooling anyone with this video.
