Former President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he believes abortion policies should be left up to the states to decide, ending months of uncertainty over his position on the issue. In a video message, Trump stated that whatever states decide on abortion “must be the law of the land.” This announcement comes as abortion rights have consistently become a winning issue for Democrats since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Trump also falsely claimed to have been responsible for the end of Roe v. Wade, as he appointed three Supreme Court justices who voted for the abortion-rights ruling to be struck down.
While Trump emphasized his belief in exceptions for abortion bans in cases of rape, incest, and when the life of the mother is at risk, he declined to endorse a 15-week ban as expected. This announcement was more permissive on abortion rights than anticipated, as Trump had previously declined to commit to a position on abortion leading up to the November election. Polling shows that most Americans broadly support the procedure remaining legal, making it a winning issue for Democrats.
It is unclear whether Trump would actually leave abortion up to the states if he were reelected, given his history of flip-flopping on the issue. He has openly supported abortion rights in the past, even going so far as to say there should be “some form of punishment” for people who have abortions. Despite this, anti-abortion rights group Susan B. Anthony List expressed deep disappointment in Trump’s statement, arguing that leaving the issue up to the states cedes the national debate to Democrats.
The Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022, ending the federal right to an abortion and leading to a wave of state-level bans. This decision has cost the GOP at the ballot box, with Democrats repeatedly winning elections where abortion rights have been central. Trump has criticized other Republicans for going too far against abortion rights, such as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signing a six-week ban into law. Reports emerged in February suggesting Trump privately favored a 16-week ban, but the former president’s campaign declined to take a stance at that time, claiming Trump would negotiate a deal that everyone would be happy with.
Overall, Trump’s announcement that he believes abortion policies should be left up to the states is a significant shift in his position on the issue. While he emphasized exceptions for cases of rape, incest, and risk to the mother, his permissive stance on abortion rights may surprise some supporters. It remains to be seen how this announcement will impact his reelection campaign and the ongoing debate over abortion rights in the United States.
