Donald Trump revisited his stance on abortion this Tuesday, declaring he would veto a federal abortion ban if elected. This marks a shift from last month when he avoided answering directly on the subject.
He made the announcement on Truth Social during the vice-presidential debate featuring his running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
In his post, he emphasized in all caps, “EVERYONE KNOWS I WOULD NOT SUPPORT A FEDERAL ABORTION BAN, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, AND WOULD, IN FACT, VETO IT. IT IS UP TO THE STATES TO DECIDE BASED ON THE WILL OF THEIR VOTERS (THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE!). LIKE RONALD REAGAN BEFORE ME, I FULLY SUPPORT THE THREE EXCEPTIONS FOR RAPE, INCEST, AND THE LIFE OF THE MOTHER.”
The Harris campaign quickly responded, accusing Trump of trying to “rewrite his own abortion position.” They noted that he dodged questions repeatedly, and stated, “The American people know where Donald Trump stands.”
In a previous debate, when pressed about vetoing a national ban, Trump had said, “Well I won’t have to because it won’t happen.”
Additionally, Trump asserted that he does not back “THE DEMOCRATS RADICAL POSITION OF LATE TERM ABORTION,” citing extreme examples. He stated, “THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER!”
Vice President Kamala Harris has consistently pushed back against accusations that Democrats support late-term abortions, calling such claims a “mischaracterization.”
Under Roe v. Wade, abortion access is allowed up to the point of “viability,” generally between 20 to 24 weeks. Data from the CDC indicates that less than 1% of abortions were performed after 21 weeks in 2020. Trump’s claims about seven- to nine-month abortions lack factual support.
His assertion that babies are being “executed” after birth is unfounded and was previously fact-checked during debates.
Trump’s comments came as Vance discussed abortion, sharing that he knew many women who faced unplanned pregnancies. He remarked, “We’ve got to do so much better of a job at earning the American people’s trust back on this issue.”
During the debate, Vance supported state-level abortion laws, while Walz argued that reproductive rights should not vary “by geography.” He stated, “These are women’s decisions. We trust women.”
Trump’s Evolving Abortion Stance
Trump’s abortion views have transformed significantly over the years. In a 1999 NBC interview, he expressed distaste for abortion but advocated for choice. His position later leaned more towards the anti-abortion side, especially after appointing three conservative justices to the Supreme Court, contributing to the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
On Fox News, he claimed, “I did it. I’m proud to have done it,” referring to the overturning of Roe. Last August, he faced backlash from anti-abortion conservatives after declaring Florida’s six-week abortion ban as “too short.”