Elizabeth Warren has voiced skepticism about JD Vance’s claims that he and Donald Trump won’t enforce a national abortion ban. During a recent Meet The Press interview, the Republican VP candidate assured host Kristen Welker that they do not plan to impose such a ban if they win the election.
However, Warren emphasized that their assurances do little to alleviate concerns about women’s access to abortion, especially after many Republican-led states enacted strict regulations following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in June 2022.
Warren stated, “American women are not naive; we will not place our daughters’ futures in the hands of two men who have boasted about restricting abortion access nationwide.” She warned that Trump and Vance could exploit existing laws, specifically the antiquated Comstock Act, to create broader abortion restrictions.
“When I talk about banning access to abortion, I mean completely—no exceptions,” Warren stressed, pointing out the severe implications for women needing care, like those experiencing miscarriages, if abortion resources were stripped away.
Although Welker noted that both Trump and Vance claim they would not invoke the Comstock Act to limit abortion, the law has been endorsed by anti-abortion advocates looking to curtail medication abortions, which account for the majority of abortions in the U.S.
In February, Jonathan F. Mitchell, known for promoting Texas’ stringent abortion law, indicated that the Comstock Act could be a viable tool for this purpose, asserting, “We don’t need a federal ban when we have Comstock on the books.”
Recently, when asked about the Comstock Act on CBS News, Trump commented, “We’ll discuss specifics, but generally, no, I wouldn’t enforce it.” When pressed about the availability of medication abortions, he seemed to advocate for maintaining the current status quo as determined by the Supreme Court.
Warren remained unconvinced by Trump’s statements, reminding viewers of Vance’s past requests for the Department of Justice to enforce the Comstock Act against abortion medication distribution. She highlighted, “He reached out to the DOJ to act on this before Trump chose him as VP.” Furthermore, she referenced Project 2025, a conservative initiative outlining plans for potential power shifts if Trump returns to office.
AP
Despite Trump’s denial of any connection to Project 2025, Warren argues it reflects a broader agenda that could have devastating effects on women’s reproductive rights in America.