Donald Trump has talked more about abortion in the final weeks of his presidential campaign than he has in the past two years. And it’s increasingly clear why he strategically avoided the topic for so long.
ABC moderators and Vice President Kamala Harris will likely push Trump to clarify his position on abortion during Tuesday night’s highly anticipated presidential debate. It’s safe to assume he’ll reiterate his thoughts on abortion later in pregnancy and say something about Democrats killing newborns and botched abortions — common, if completely false, talking points for Republicans.
But he might also be pushed to clarify his political position on abortion earlier in pregnancy – because lately he’s been all over the place.
Trump played a key role in repealing federal abortion protections. The former president has bragged about it repeatedly and continues to do so. falsely claim that “everyone” wanted Roe v. Wade overturned. Now, as the election approaches and the polls propose a tightening of the raceTrump quickly tries to change his tone.
Recently, Trump proclaimed that his administration “will be great for women and their reproductive rights” — a phrase that sounds more like a Planned Parenthood press release than something said by a man who once supported punish women who have abortions with prison sentences.
He has distanced He himself has dismissed Project 2025 and its wish list of extreme anti-abortion policy proposals, saying he hasn’t even read it, even though the plan mentions him more than 300 times and was created by several of his longtime allies. He has said he would not enact a national abortion ban if elected and will not apply the Comstock Act, a 150-year-old anti-obscenity law that abortion opponents want to use to criminalize sending abortion pills through the mail. doesn’t seem to have any idea what mifepristone is, one of two drugs used in medical abortions.
Trump, a Florida resident, seemed to suggest Last week, he would vote in favor of a Florida state constitutional amendment to protect abortion rights. He told NBC News that the state’s current six-week abortion ban was “too short” (in contrast to his position in 2023, when he said abortion was banned in the state). boasted that “without me, there would be no ban on abortions at six weeks, ten weeks, fifteen weeks.”
Hours later, Trump’s campaign backtracked, saying he had not announced which party he would vote for. The next day, Trump said he planned to vote vote against the abortion rights amendment and falsely claimed that states that support abortion rights allow women to kill their newborns.
Trump has “changed his position on abortion four times in the last 48 hours,” said Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.). said CNN shortly after the Florida amendment debacle. The change of course shows Trump “has no value,” Schiff said.
Trump’s position on the fundamental role the government should play in enforcing abortion restrictions is also unclear. Since he advocated for the removal of federal abortion protections, he has repeatedly said…
