Donald Trump Says He Won’t Support A Nationwide Ban On Abortion

After months of conflicting signals and conjecture, former President Donald Trump claims in a video that he thinks abortion should be left to the states.

“Many people have asked me what my position is on abortion and abortion rights,” Mr Trump said in the video posted on his Truth Social site on Monday.

“My view is now that we have an abortion where everybody wanted it from a legal standpoint, 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.”

Mr. Trump omitted to specify when he thought abortion ought to be outlawed. He continued by outlining the current legal environment, which is characterized by varying state limits as a result of the US Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade ruling.

“A lot of states will differ. There will be variations in the number of weeks or the degree of conservatism among the individuals, according to him.

“In the end, everything revolves around the people’s will.”

The potential Republican presidential nominee, Mr. Trump, avoided answering questions about when he thought the line should be drawn in pregnancy and instead announced on social media on Sunday night that he would be making a statement on “abortion and abortion rights.”

After Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, states led by Republicans implemented a flurry of new regulations. Democrats have exceeded predictions in subsequent elections because they feel that the battle for abortion rights benefits them at the polls.

In his statement, Mr. Trump stated, “On this issue, you must follow your heart.” “But keep in mind, you also need to win elections to preserve our nation, which is sadly currently in decline, and to rebuild our culture.”

For a considerable amount of time, Mr. Trump maintained that the Supreme Court’s ruling to overturn Roe allowed opponents of abortion rights “tremendous power to negotiate.”

Even though abortion is one of the most divisive issues in American politics, with supporters seeing it as a fundamental women’s right and opponents viewing it as murder, he said he wanted to use that leverage to reach a deal that would “make both sides happy” and bring the nation “together”.

In a radio interview conducted last month, he hinted that he could be inclined to accept a nationwide ban on abortions beginning at about 15 weeks of pregnancy, or the early stages of the second trimester.

“The number of weeks now, people are agreeing on 15. And I’m thinking in terms of that,” he said on WABC radio. “And it’ll come out to something very reasonable. But people are, even hard-liners are agreeing, seems to be, 15 weeks seems to be a number that people are agreeing at.”

Meanwhile, it appeared that Mr. Trump would not support a federal ban.

“Everybody agrees — you’ve heard this for years — all the legal scholars on both sides agree: It’s a state issue. It shouldn’t be a federal issue, it’s a state issue,” he said.

Throughout the campaign, Trump has attempted to tread carefully when it comes to abortion. Often claiming credit for having appointed the justices on the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade—a decision he has described as a “moral and unconstitutional atrocity”—he has positioned himself as the most pro-life president in American history.

However, he has also frequently attacked other Republicans for taking a too strong stance on the matter, holding them accountable for the party’s defeat in November for refusing to make exceptions for rape, incest, and situations in which the life of the expectant mother is in danger.