Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance confirmed that former President Donald Trump is consistent in his views on defunding Planned Parenthood. Vance stated that taxpayers should not fund late-term abortions, a position that has been consistent with the Trump campaign. Planned Parenthood, a reproductive health care organization, has faced opposition from conservatives for its pro-abortion-rights stance. The organization disputed Vance’s claims, stating that federal funds cannot be used to provide abortion care and that defunding Planned Parenthood would strip millions of people of essential health care services.
The vast majority of abortions in 2021 were performed early in the pregnancy, with only a small percentage done later in gestation, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sen. Vance’s comments on defunding Planned Parenthood drew criticism from Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign, which warned against the risks of a second Trump term for American women and families. Democrats have emphasized Trump’s anti-abortion stance, while Trump has tried to soften his position by saying he would veto a federal abortion ban and acknowledging a woman’s right to choose in a Fox News interview.
Former first lady Melania Trump’s reported support for abortion rights has also garnered attention, with her rumored forthcoming memoir expressing a belief in a woman’s right to control her own body. An NBC News poll indicated that a majority of registered voters believe Vice President Harris would be better at handling the issue of abortion compared to Trump. Vance acknowledged the lack of trust in Republicans on the abortion issue and stressed the need for the party to earn back the American people’s trust.
Despite Trump’s attempts to moderate his stance on abortion on the campaign trail, his administration took steps to restrict access to the procedure. He appointed three Supreme Court justices who voted to overrule Roe v. Wade, ending federal protections for abortion. In 2019, Planned Parenthood withdrew from the Title X program due to a rule prohibiting clinics from providing abortion provider referrals. President Biden has since reversed Trump’s rule, allowing clinics that offer abortion referrals to receive federal funding. Trump’s previous pledge to defund Planned Parenthood has drawn criticism from anti-abortion groups, who argue that federal funding for other services indirectly supports abortion.
