After facing harsh criticism from pro-life groups for saying that the abortion issue should remain in the states, former President Trump backpedaled a bit, saying he would consider supporting a 15-week federal abortion law but stopped short of promising to pursue such legislation if he is elected President, The Hill reported.
During an interview with WMUR in New Hampshire last Thursday, Trump was asked whether he would support a federal law limiting abortion to the first 15 weeks. Trump said he would “look at it” and noted that he was looking at “a lot of different options.”
Claiming to know the abortion issue “very well,” Trump said he knew it “better than most” and he thinks something will get done.
Trump recently drew criticism from pro-life groups after his campaign released a statement suggesting that the former president supports having states decide the issue of abortion access.
In a statement blasting the Trump campaign, Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America president Marjorie Dannenfelser called the campaign’s statement a “completely inaccurate reading of the Dobbs decision,” and a “morally indefensible position” from the man who claims to be the “most pro-life president” in history.
Dannenfelster asserted that life is not a state’s rights matter, but a “matter of human rights.”
Some Republicans in Congress, including South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, have proposed enacting a federal law restricting abortion to the first 15 weeks nationally.
In recent weeks, Republican presidential candidates have been pressed on whether they would support federal legislation limiting abortion nationally.
When speaking at Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America headquarters last week, 2024 GOP candidate Nikki Haley said there should be federal involvement in the abortion issue but refused to offer specifics on what kind of legislation she would support.
After Republicans failed to retake the Senate and won only a slim majority in the House during the November midterm elections, former President Trump blamed the lackluster performance on pro-life Republican candidates.
