Known for his contribution to the overturning of Roe vs. Wade, former President Donald Trump has shifted his stance on abortion rights multiple times. On Wednesday, April 10, 2024, Trump condemned a new court ruling in Arizona upholding a near-total ban on abortion in the state.
He said the ruling, based on a 19th-century law, had gone too far. The former President also said they needed to “straighten out” the verdict. His statement on the Arizona ruling is the latest in a series of contradictory statements made by Trump. The Presumptive Republican Nominee is trying to eat his cake and have it.
Critics say he is balancing his support for abortion opponents without embracing the broader bans that voters have been rejecting. “It’s all about states’ rights, and it needs to be straightened out,” Trump said in Atlanta, reacting to the ruling. “And I’m sure the governor and everybody else will bring it back into reason.”
Before his Atlanta speech, Trump also said he will not sign a federal abortion ban if he returns to the White House. Asked about a separate Florida court decision that upheld the state’s 15-week ban and paved the way for a six-week ban, Trump said his home state “is probably going to change.”
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However, he touted his role in the “incredible achievement” of overruling Roe v. Wade’s abortion protections. “We did that, and now the states have it,” he said. “And the states are putting out what they want. It’s the will of the people.” He continued, “Arizona is going to change. Everybody wants that to happen.”
When asked about the November referendum, Trump didn’t reveal how he intends to vote on the upcoming Florida ballot measure. Instead, he said he will vote for Brian Jack, who is running for a House seat in Georgia. Later, during a visit to a Chick-fil-A, Trump said it should be up to the states.
“Let that be to the states,” he said. “Everything we’re doing now is states and states’ rights.” However, Trump’s constant shifts have incurred the fury of conservatives across the political spectrum. Also, Joe Biden’s campaign seized the opportunity to expose Trump’s hypocrisy.
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Biden’s campaign responded by slamming Trump’s comments about Roe vs. Wade. They also warned voters against trusting Trump’s new position on abortion because he “lies constantly – about everything.”
“Donald Trump owns the suffering and chaos happening right now, including in Arizona,” Biden campaign spokesman Michael Tyler said. “He proudly overturned Roe – something he called ‘an incredible thing’ and ‘pretty amazing’ just today.”
The Arizona Supreme Court’s decision on Tuesday, April 9, on the abortion ban drew differing reactions from state Republicans. It shocked even those who previously claimed to be “100% pro-life.” Following the ruling, Vice President Kamala Harris announced plans to visit Tucson.
ALSO READ: Florida Supreme Court Upholds 6-Week Abortion Ban, Leaves Final Decision to Voters
The VP is visiting for her “Fight for Reproductive Freedoms.” “Arizona just rolled back the clock to a time before women could vote – and, by his own admission,” Harris said. “There’s one person responsible: Donald Trump.” President Joe Biden, in a statement through the White House, also blasted the Arizona ban.
Biden criticized the ban for being so old. He described the restrictions, which only have exceptions to save the life of the pregnant woman, as “cruel.” He called it the “result of the extreme agenda of Republican officials who commit themselves to ripping away women’s freedom.”
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