Former President Donald Trump has declined to take a position on a potential federal abortion ban, instead stating that the fate of the procedure should be left to individual states. In a roughly four-minute video posted to Truth Social on Monday, Trump reiterated his pride in ending Roe v. Wade through the appointment of conservative Supreme Court justices but did not endorse any kind of federal abortion legislation, which some conservative groups have been pushing him to do.
"My view is now that we have abortion where everybody wanted it from a legal standpoint," Trump said. "The states will determine by vote or legislation or perhaps both, and whatever they decide must be the law of the land. In this case, the law of the state."
Trump's statement, his most comprehensive to date on the divisive issue of abortion since becoming the presumptive Republican nominee, has left many wondering about his stance on a potential federal law limiting abortion after a certain number of weeks. The former president referenced the importance of winning elections for Republicans and reiterated his support for exceptions allowing for the procedure in cases of rape, incest, and when the life of the mother is at risk.
Democrats and Biden campaign officials have argued that Trump's statement embraces the end of Roe and sides with states that have imposed severe limits on abortion. The Biden campaign has relentlessly warned voters that Trump would sign a national abortion ban and that his administration would restrict access to reproductive health care through agencies like the FDA.
Over the past year, Trump has repeatedly dodged questions when asked whether he would sign a national abortion ban if reelected, instead claiming he would find a solution to unite the country on the extremely divisive issue. In recent weeks, he suggested that there appeared to be consensus forming around a federal ban after 15 weeks of pregnancy, with a February poll from The Economist/YouGov finding 48 percent of respondents would support a national ban on abortions after 16 weeks of pregnancy.
However, Trump's campaign has also issued statements that seem to lean toward states' rights and not a federal ban. "President Trump supports preserving life but has also made clear that he supports states' rights because he supports the voters' right to make decisions for themselves," Brian Hughes, a Trump senior adviser, said in a statement.
The former president's evasive stance on a federal abortion ban has left the GOP divided ahead of the 2024 election. Some of Trump's staunchest allies, including Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and former White House aide Kellyanne Conway, have promoted a national ban, while others have attempted to moderate their positions, particularly in swing states.
Abortion has been a major motivator for Democratic voters in the nearly two years since the Supreme Court decision overturned the federal right to abortion access, and President Joe Biden and his campaign have used it as a rallying force heading into November's general election match-up with Trump. The Biden campaign has seized on Trump's varying remarks on abortion, particularly his past boasts of having a hand in overturning Roe v. Wade.
"Donald Trump doesn't trust women," Biden says in a new ad. "I do."
As the 2024 election approaches, Trump's stance on abortion will continue to be a point of contention and scrutiny. His refusal to take a clear position on a federal abortion ban and his shifting statements on the issue have left both his supporters and critics uncertain about his intentions should he win the presidency. The prospect of the top of the GOP ticket backing a federal abortion ban at a time when Democrats are elevating the issue as a central point of attack could put swing-state Republicans in a difficult position, further complicating the already divisive debate surrounding reproductive rights in the United States.
