After months of dodging questions about his abortion position, former president Donald Trump rejected calls to endorse a national abortion ban, saying he believes it should be a states’ rights issue, though he declined to say a specific number of weeks bans should be set at.
“My view is now that we have abortion where everybody wanted it from a legal standpoint, the states will determine by vote or legislation or perhaps both, and whatever they decide must be the law of the land in this case, the law of the state,” Trump said Monday in a video message posted to his social media site, Truth Social. “Many states will be different. Many will have a different number of weeks or some will have more conservative than others and that’s what they will be.”
“At the end of the day, this is all about the will of the people. You must follow your heart or in many cases, your religion or your faith,” Trump said. “Do what’s right for your family and do what’s right for yourself. Do what’s right for your children, do what’s right for our country and vote. So important to vote. At the end of the day. It’s all about the will of the people.”
Trump ended his message by sharing the key point that seemed to be the basis for his position: This is how Republicans will be able to win elections.
“You must follow your heart on this issue but remember, you must also win elections to restore our culture and, in fact, to save our country, which is currently and very sadly, a nation in decline … Always go by your heart. But we must win. We have to win, we are a failing nation,” he said.
The former president, who will be voting on a Florida abortion referendum in November, did not say whether he supports or opposes a measure on the November ballot that would broaden abortion access in his home state and undo the current restrictions.
