Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio.) on Saturday suggested that if former President Donald Trump were to return to the White House, he would veto a federal abortion ban.
What Happened: Vance, the Republican nominee for vice president, made the statement during an interview with NBC News. “I think he would,” Vance said, adding that Trump had explicitly stated this.
Vance, in the same discussion, stressed the importance of focusing on Trump’s actual remarks on abortion, and how they contrast with the Democrats’ allegations. “Donald Trump wants to end this culture war over this particular topic,” Vance asserted.
This comment was in response to Trump’s earlier proclamation in April, where he affirmed he wouldn’t endorse a nationwide abortion ban.
Trump had earlier hailed the reversal of Roe v. Wade as a “remarkable achievement” and voiced his support for states determining their own abortion laws. “Now the states have it, and the states are putting out what they want. It’s the will of the people,” he stated.
Despite this, Democrats have voiced doubts about Trump’s assertion. Vice President Kamala Harris, in a social media post, expressed that if Trump were to reclaim the presidency, “we know he will sign a national abortion ban.”
Why It Matters: The debate arises as Democrats strive to link Trump with Project 2025, a conservative think tank’s comprehensive “governing agenda” that proposes to withdraw the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of an abortion drug named mifepristone. Trump has refuted any awareness of Project 2025, despite claims of at least 140 former Trump administration members participating in the project.
The crucial abortion debate is expected to fuel division within the Republican party. Trump’s hesitancy in endorsing nationwide limitations would place him directly in opposition to influential figures in the anti-abortion movement who are advocating for federal measures. Trump himself has acknowledged that the Republican Party’s stance on abortion has been detrimental to its electoral success, suggesting that the party has never understood how to talk about it.
Meanwhile, philanthropist Melinda French Gates has emphasized the importance of this issue, stating that she cannot vote for a candidate who rolls back women’s reproductive rights. “I cannot vote for a man who rolls back women’s reproductive rights and says the heinous things he does about women.”
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This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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