Former U.S. President and Republican nominee for the 2024 presidential election, Donald Trump, stated on Sunday (October 13) that a nationwide abortion ban is “not up for discussion” for him, but also mentioned that he will see what the future holds.
In an interview with Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures,” Trump said, “Let me tell you, I think this issue is now off the table because I did something that everyone wanted to do, which is to allow this issue to be resolved by each state.”
“Everyone wanted this, and I did it,” Trump told Fox News host Maria Bartiromo. “Now, we will see what happens. What I can say is, in my view, this issue has been largely resolved.”
Abortion rights have been a significant issue used by Democratic presidential candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris to appeal to voters, especially female voters. In the 2022 U.S. midterm elections, the abortion rights issue caused the Republicans to lose some moderate votes, and in this year’s election, Republicans still find themselves on the defensive regarding this issue.
In late June 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion in the United States, marking a significant victory for conservatives and paving the way for 14 states to introduce nearly complete abortion bans.
Trump has often emphasized his role in overturning Roe v. Wade, as three of the Supreme Court justices were nominated and appointed during his presidency, when conservatives held the majority on the court.
However, polls show that over 60% of Americans still support abortion rights. Some Republican-led states have implemented strict abortion bans, sparking strong backlash from liberal voters and presenting a challenge for Trump in appealing to moderate voters in this year’s election.
Trump has reiterated multiple times that he will leave this issue to the states to resolve and has no intention of implementing a ban at the federal level. Earlier this month, the former president also stated that if a nationwide abortion ban were to land on his future White House desk, he would veto it.
Trump’s running mate, Senator JD Vance, recently assured voters that Trump would veto any nationwide abortion ban.
Former First Lady Melania Trump expressed her support for abortion rights in her first memoir published in October. This public statement is seen as potentially easing the pressure Trump faces on the abortion rights issue.