New York— In his first public backing of a countrywide abortion ban, Trump said Tuesday that he would support one at 15 weeks.
The Republican former president appointed three Supreme Court justices that overturned Roe v. Wade, removing a legally protected right to abortion. Trump, who is running for president a third time, has warned that restricting abortion could backfire politically and has offered to “negotiate” a policy that would include exceptions for rape, incest, and mother preservation.
In a radio interview Tuesday, Trump attacked Democrats for not supporting a ban on abortion in states that allow it. “We’re going to come up with a time — and maybe we could bring the country together on that issue,” Trump said on WABC's “Sid & Friends in the Morning” broadcast.
Trump added: “People agree on 15 weeks now. And I'm considering that. And the result will be reasonable. However, even hardliners seem to concur on 15 weeks.”
All legal scholars on both sides agree—you've heard this for years—that it's a state issue. It should be a state problem, not federal, he said.
Last month, Trump's campaign called rumors that he privately supported a 16-week abortion ban “fake news.” The campaign said Trump would “negotiate a deal” on abortion but provided no details. After voting in Florida's Republican presidential primary, Trump told a reporter, “We'll be talking about that soon.”
Recently, abortion rights have galvanized Americans, and Democrats and President Joe Biden's campaign plan to highlight the issue as a clear divide from Trump in 2024.
Most Americans feel abortion should be permitted during early pregnancy, according to polls. An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research study from June found that half of U.S. people supported 15-week abortions.
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