Former President Donald Trump’s much anticipated statement on “abortion and abortion rights” Monday drew cheers and jeers from conservatives, with some applauding his measured stance and others expressing bitter disappointment.
In a video statement posted on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump reiterated his position that the issue should be left to the states “to do the right thing.”
“My view is now that we have abortion where everybody wanted it from a legal standpoint, the states will determine by vote or legislation or perhaps both, Trump said. “And whatever they decide must be the law of the land. In this case, the law of the state. Many states will be different, many will have a different number of weeks, or some will have more conservative than others, and that’s what they will be.”
At the end of the day. This is all about the will of the people. You must follow your heart or in many cases, your religion or your faith. Do what’s right for your family and do what’s right for yourself. Do what’s right for your children, do what’s right for our country, and vote; so important to vote. At the end of the day. It’s all about will of the people. That’s where we are right now. And that’s what we want, the will of the people.
I want to thank the six justices, Chief Justice John Roberts, Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett, and Neil Gorsuch, incredible people, for having the courage to allow this long-term, hard-fought battle to finally end.
This 50-year battle over Roe v. Wade took it out of the federal hands and brought it into the hearts, minds, and vote of the people in each state, it was really something. Now, it’s up to the states to do the right thing.
Trump portrayed Democrats as “radical” on the issue because of their support abortion “up to and even beyond the ninth month.”
“The concept of having an abortion in the later months and even execution after birth. And that’s exactly what it is,” he said. “The baby is born, the baby is executed after birth is unacceptable. And almost everyone agrees with that.”
Trump also emphasized his view that restrictions on abortion should have limits.
“Like Ronald Reagan, I am strongly in favor of exceptions for rape, incest, and life of the mother,” he said. “You must follow your heart on this issue. But remember, you must also win elections to restore our culture and in fact, to save our country, which is currently and very sadly, a nation in decline.”
The presumptive Republican presidential nominee also emphasized his support for in vitro fertilization (IVF), saying “we want to make it easier for mothers and families to have babies, not harder.”
Like the overwhelming majority of Americans, including the vast majority of Republicans, conservatives, Christians, and pro-life Americans, I strongly support the availability of IVF for couples who are trying to have a precious baby. What could be more beautiful or better than that?
“Under my leadership, the Republican Party will always support the creation of strong, thriving, and healthy American families,” Trump said.
“Our nation needs help. It needs unity. It needs us all to work closely together. Democrat, Republican, liberal, conservative, everyone. We have to work together. We have to bring our nation back from the brink and that’s where it is, the former president added. “It’s at the brink and we will, we will do it. I promise you. We will do it.”
#BREAKING: Former President Trump announces his official stance on abortion – that it is purely a state's issue, and that he supports protecting IVF
"Many states will be different. Many will have a different number of weeks […] This is all about the will of the people." pic.twitter.com/IWmxb1xoKc
— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) April 8, 2024
His announcement disappointed some prominent pro-lifers and pro-life groups who were hoping for a an endorsement of strong national restrictions on abortion.
“We are deeply disappointed in President Trump’s position. Unborn children and their mothers deserve national protections and national advocacy from the brutality of the abortion industry,” said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, in a statement. “The Dobbs decision clearly allows both states and Congress to act.”
Saying the issue is ‘back to the states’ cedes the national debate to the Democrats who are working relentlessly to enact legislation mandating abortion throughout all nine months of pregnancy. If successful, they will wipe out states’ rights.
With lives on the line, SBA Pro-Life America and the pro-life grassroots will work tirelessly to defeat President Biden and extreme congressional Democrats.
“Killing babies is always wrong,” said Live Action founder and president Lila Rose. “President Trump is not a pro-life candidate. He’s far less pro-abortion than Biden, but he supports killing some preborn children and will even make that his position in an attempt to get pro-abortion votes.” Full statement here.
Trump’s statement also drew a strong rebuke from conservative author and commentator Allie Beth Stuckey.
“Pro-life evangelicals make a huge voting block, yet we’ve got exactly 0 presidential candidates vying for our vote,” the Blaze podcaster wrote on X. “RFK picked a far-left social justice activist, and Donald Trump’s out here reminding those to the left of us that he’s a squish on abortion.”
Trump’s statement was a signal to the left that threw truly pro-life Christians under the bus. The cheering of IVF, support of nonsensical abortion exceptions, and his “will of the people” repetition are all ways to convey the message, “See? I’m not like those radicals to the right of me! I’m moderate! Sane! Compassionate! Pro-democracy!” He’s been successfully empathy-shamed by the left and still thinks somehow that he’s going to convince some of them to vote for him.
It is what it is. Trump is currently the most pro-life candidate of the bunch. It’s just downright sad.
Conservative talk show host and author Steve Deace lamented what he viewed as a moral decline in the Evangelical Church in America.
“Trump could perform an abortion, and too many “evangelical leaders” would be silent about it, and then wait for the next Biden abomination (always mere seconds away) before focusing on that,” Deace wrote on X.
Politically it’s just, well, dumb. No win here whatsoever. I can’t imagine there’s one single woman voter out there who is now like, “I see Trump in a whole new light.” Nor will this fire up the segment of the church hesitant about aligning with Trump but pro-life to now go all-in for him.
Trump’s statement also drew strong support from conservatives on social media, including podcaster Bill Mitchell, commentator Tomi Lahren, talk show host and author Mark Levin.
The Catholic pro-life site LifeSite didn’t overtly endorse Trump’s statement, but commented: “No matter what you think about Trump’s abortion statement, remember this: Joe Biden wants abortions up to birth.”
Surprisingly, Priests For Life founder Frank Pavone strongly endorsed Trump’s position, arguing that “the reality is we have a nation divided on abortion right now.” Pavone pointed out that under Trump’s leadership, the pro-life movement made great strides.
“He got rid of Roe v. Wade,” said Pavone, who was defrocked by Pope Francis over his support Trump. “Remember, Roe v. Wade prevented people from protecting the unborn. Now we’re able to protect them. We are protecting them, and we’ll continue to protect them,” he continued.
Pavone also shared his thoughts on Trump’s support for exceptions in cases of rape, incest, and life of the mother.
“Every life needs to be protected. There is no exception to this. No abortion. Not even a single abortion in any circumstance is ever okay,” he said.
But the former priest explained that in a divided nation, Trump could never be elected taking such a rigid stance.
“For those who would want President Trump to stand up and say there has to be an absolute policy against abortion—which of course is where we need to end up—right now, he’s saying ‘we have to save the nation first,'” Pavone said.
“The Democrats want to destroy not only the right to life of the unborn, they want to destroy free and fair elections, freedom of speech, freedom of religion,” he argued. “President Trump said, ‘no, no, no, we’re going to stop that. We’re going to save the nation, and then the will of the people can continue to hammer out policy on abortion.”
My Response and Reaction to President Trump's statement of Abortion today. #prolife pic.twitter.com/FatWOW2BZF
— Frank Pavone (@frfrankpavone) April 8, 2024