Former President Donald Trump on Wednesday criticized recent abortion decisions by the Arizona and Florida Supreme Courts as “going too far.” Two days later, he said decisions about regulating abortion procedures should be left to individual states.
Asked whether the Arizona Supreme Court went “overboard” by ruling to enforce an 1864 abortion ban that didn’t include exceptions for rape or incest, the likely Republican nominee said. “Yes, they did,” he told reporters.
“And you know, this is all about states’ rights and that’s going to be made clear,” the 77-year-old added while in Atlanta for a fundraising event. “And I’m confident that the governor and everyone else is going to put this issue back on track, and I think it’s going to be resolved soon.”
President Trump then said the Florida Supreme Court had allowed a 15-week ban on most abortions to go into effect, paving the way for a six-week abortion ban to become law in the coming weeks.
“Maybe Florida will change, too,” he added. “Look, this all matters — it’s the will of the people, and this is what I’ve been saying all along, and this is a perfect system. We did it. It’s unbelievable. It’s an incredible accomplishment. We did it and now the states are getting it. , states are starting to give what they want. It’s the will of the people.
“So Florida is probably going to change. Arizona is definitely going to change and everyone wants that to happen. And you’re taking into account the will of the people. It was so great.”
The former president also shook his head and answered “no” twice when asked by reporters whether he would sign a nationwide abortion ban.
President Trump made his sweeping stance on abortion clear in a video posted to Truth Social on Monday.
“My view now is that from a legal standpoint, the abortion that everyone wanted is happening, and it’s going to be up to each state to decide either by vote or by law or both. And what they decide is “Whatever it is, it has to be the law of the land. In this case, it’s the law of the state,” Trump said at the time.
He did not say how many weeks into pregnancy he considered abortion legal.
“Many states will be different,” the former president added. “Many people have different numbers of weeks, some are more conservative than others, but that’s their character. In the end, this all depends on the will of the people.”
The Trump campaign reiterated its position on Wednesday, the day after the Arizona ruling.
“President Trump could not have been more clear. These are decisions that must be made by the people of each state,” said national campaign spokeswoman Caroline Levitt.
President Trump’s “overreach” remarks came after Monday’s announcement received significant backlash from pro-life groups and former Vice President Mike Pence.
“We are deeply disappointed in President Trump’s position. Unborn children and their mothers deserve national protection and national defense from the brutality of the abortion industry. Dobbs’ decision makes it clear that states and It is clear that both sides of Congress will take action,” Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, said in a statement.
“Too many Republican politicians are ready to back down from the fight for life. Republicans will win in life when they stand on the principle that life begins at conception and should be protected from womb to grave. No matter how much Republican candidates and other candidates try to downplay the cause of life, this I know pro-life Americans will never relent until we see the sanctity of life restored to the center of American law in every state of the country,” Pence said. I wrote to X.
President Trump fired back at Pence in a Truth social post on Wednesday, saying, “Former Vice President (thank you President Trump!) Mike Pence has been talking a lot about abortion lately. I never thought I would be able to kill it and bring it back to the United States, where it belongs, according to all legal scholars.”
Mr. Biden’s campaign issued the statement after Mr. Trump attacked Mr. Biden for what he said appeared to be a reversal of his recent comments.
“Donald Trump owns the suffering and chaos that is happening right now, including in Arizona, because he proudly reversed the policies.” egg “That’s what he called today ‘unbelievable’ and ‘pretty amazing,'” said Michael Tyler, communications director for the Biden campaign.
