Asking President Biden whether he supports any restrictions on abortion is a Republican “trap,” according to the incumbent, who is making two campaign trips to Florida on Tuesday. His re-election campaign has strongly criticized the move.
Biden, 81, is the second Roman Catholic president in American history, but Democrats in the House and Senate have codified abortion rights nationwide since the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade in June 2022. He has repeatedly called on voters to elect him. .
The stance is a change from Biden’s opposition to Roe during his decades in federal office.
During the press conference, a reporter asked a representative of the Biden campaign, “Will you ever end your support for abortion?”
“Is the fetus still viable? [typically 24 weeks]? ‘ added the reporter.
“The president has been very clear and consistent in his belief that Mr. Roe’s protections should be restored,” a spokesperson said.
“So we’re not going to fall into the trap that Republicans are trying to set, because it’s so far from reality.”
Biden has previously said he supports certain restrictions on the controversial process.
In October 2022, he was asked by a reporter whether there should be “some restrictions on abortion.”
“Yes, there should be,” Biden said, adding, “Read Roe v. Wade. You’ll be educated.”
Roe v. Wade overturned many state laws that had prohibited abortions and established that abortions could not be prohibited until the fetus was viable. The ruling allowed states to begin implementing regulations in the second trimester and completely ban abortions in the third trimester.
Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe, some states have reinstated previous laws restricting the process.
Recently, the Arizona Supreme Court reinstated an 1864 law that bans abortion without exception in cases of rape or incest.
The Biden campaign has sought to make abortion a top priority, emphasizing that Donald Trump appointed three conservative judges to the court during his presidential term.
President Trump himself has touted his role in overturning Roe, saying decisions regarding abortion regulations should be left to individual states. But the 45th president said Arizona law goes “too far” in its ban.
Biden is scheduled to make two campaign appearances at events in Tampa on Tuesday, where he is likely to attack the 15-week abortion ban that the state Supreme Court has allowed to take effect.
Democrats insist they see Florida as “winnable” despite a string of successes for Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Sunshine State Republican Party.
