![Donald Trump refused to promise a ban on abortion at the federal level, disappointing many conservative voters, on April 8, 2024. Donald Trump refused to promise a ban on abortion at the federal level, disappointing many conservative voters, on April 8, 2024.](https://huffpost-focus.sirius.press/2024/04/09/8/0/1688/949/320/180/60/0/d1cd602_1712623938395-capture-d-a-cran-2024-04-09-025213.png)
Truth Social Donald Trump
Donald Trump refused to promise a ban on abortion at the federal level, disappointing many conservative voters, on April 8, 2024.
UNITED STATES – He was a little man, pirouette, weather vane. This children’s rhyme (with readapted lyrics) describes Donald Trump, candidate for the 2024 American presidential election, and his position on abortion. Because months after having considered legislating at the federal level on abortion, he announced in a video published on his Truth Social network this Monday, April 8 that he would finally let the states decide on the question.
To understand the importance of this statement, we need to go back a few years. Then president between 2016 and 2020, Donald Trump appointed several conservative judges to the American Supreme Court, the highest judicial court in the country. Of its nine members, six are now on the right of the political spectrum.
This balance allowed the Court to overturn in June 2022 a 1973 ruling called Roe v. Wade, who guaranteed the right to abortion at the federal level. From now on, states can legislate as they wish on the issue. Moreover, around twenty have banned or severely restricted access to abortion over the past two years.
Fake news about Democrats
But for conservatives, this is not enough. They want at all costs for a limit to be set at the federal level. And they thought that Donald Trump, once again running for the White House and expected to face Joe Biden in the presidential election, was going to be their Messiah again. Bad pick.
“States will determine by vote or by law, or perhaps both. Whatever their decision, it must have the force of law”he says in his video on Truth Social. “Many (states) will have a different number of weeks” as a time limit for pregnancy, “some will be more conservative than others, and that’s how it is. At the end of the day, it is the will of the people that counts.” he adds… without mentioning any limit at the federal level. Donald Trump specifies that he is in favor of abortion in cases of rape, incest, or danger to the life of the mother.
Follower of fake newsthe billionaire continues by denouncing the Democrats who would be in favor of abortion until the last months of pregnancy, and would support “even an execution after birth”. This assertion has absolutely no basis.
IVG, a very explosive subject for the campaign
Donald Trump has, however, repeatedly expressed himself in favor of a ban on abortion at the federal level after 15 or 16 weeks. But it is clear that he and the highest level of the Republican apparatus realize that this explosive subject could cost him the election next November.
Since the Supreme Court’s decision in 2022, Republicans have indeed experienced serious disappointments in national or local elections. Donald Trump’s latest turnaround therefore aims to pamper the most moderate voters, who could vote for his Democratic rival next November if he supported too radical positions on abortion. Except that this strategy is risky: his speech on Truth Social has no appeal at all to elected officials and the most conservative groups.
Donald Trump’s former vice-president, the very religious Mike Pence who cut ties with his former boss, described the billionaire’s statements as “ slap » for the millions of abortion opponents who voted for him in 2016 and 2020. “I respectfully disagree with President Trump”for his part declared the influential senator Lindsey Graham, ally of the Republican candidate.
Trump “tangled”tackle Biden
The anti-abortion association Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life, for its part, expressed its “ deep disappointment ». “The unborn and their mothers deserve national defense and protection from the brutality of the abortion industry”she reacted in a press release.
Faced with criticism, Donald Trump increased his messages on Truth Social and defended his position: “People like Graham, who never quit, will help Democrats win the House, the Senate, and maybe even the presidency. » However, his statement remains vague, and it is not impossible that the real estate mogul could change his mind again.
This is also what President Joe Biden thinks. In a video posted on X, the current tenant of the White House warns that if Donald Trump returns to power and that “MAGA Republicans (from the name of his movement, Editor’s note) put the text of the law on his desk, he would sign it”.
But the democrat also delights in the mistakes of his opponent. In a press release, he mocked the balancing act of Donald Trump, who completely “tangled” on the subject of abortion. “Donald Trump fears that since he is responsible for overturning Roe, voters will hold him responsible in 2024”he published again on X. “I have news for Donald: they will. »
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