His own words reveal he doesn't understand the issue
By Mel
Leonor Barclay, 19th News
Former
President Donald Trump said he believes abortion will be a “small issue” in the
November elections now that the power to ban abortion is in the hands of state
lawmakers, but added that he is open to federal restrictions on abortion that
would “supplement” state policy.
A
reporter asked Trump if, for example, he would use presidential power to restrict access to
one of the drugs commonly used in medication abortion.
His
answer left observers guessing as to whether Trump was open to restricting
mifepristone, which is used in about two-thirds of abortions, or simply didn’t
understand what he was being asked.
Here’s
the relevant portion of the news conference:
Reporter:
There are other things the federal government could do, not just a ban. Would
you direct your FDA [Food and Drug Administration], for example, to revoke
access to mifepristone? That’s one of the things that’s been discussed.
Trump:
Sure, you can do things that will supplement. Absolutely. And those things are
pretty open, and humane, but you have to be able to have a vote, and all I want
to do is give everybody a vote, and the votes are taking place right now as we
speak.
Reporter:
Is that something you would consider?
Trump:
There are many things on a humane basis that you can do — outside of that, but
you also have to give a vote, and the people are going to have to decide.
The
answer was part of an impromptu and meandering news conference at Mar-a-Lago,
Trump’s residence in Florida. During the hour-long appearance, Trump attacked
his rival, Vice President Kamala Harris, calling her “not smart” and at times
misrepresenting her positions, saying that Harris “wants to take away
everyone’s guns” and that under a Democratic administration, people will be
“forced to buy an electric car.”
Trump also announced that he had agreed to face Harris in three debates hosted by Fox News, ABC News and NBC News. Harris has agreed to the ABC News debate, which will take place on September 10.
Asked
about how he plans to campaign on abortion, Trump said quickly that he thinks
“abortion has become much less of an issue. It’s a very — I think it’s actually
going to be a very small issue.”
Trump
also repeated a false claim that most Americans wanted Roe v. Wade overturned.
In fact, polls consistently show that about two-thirds of Americans opposed the
Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe, which ended the federal right to
abortion. While Trump has said he would not support a national ban on abortion,
the president may have other tools that could restrict access to the procedure.
Trump
acknowledged that abortion rights measures have succeeded in many states that
traditionally support conservatives, specifically nodding to Ohio. “They had a
big vote, and it turned out to be a much more liberal standing than people
would have thought. Kansas the same thing,” Trump said.
Trump
wouldn’t say whether he planned to support or oppose the proposed
constitutional amendment in Florida that would enshrine abortion rights until
fetal viability. Trump said he planned to announce his position during a
yet-unscheduled news conference but predicted that “the vote will go in a
little more liberal way than people thought.”
Mel Leonor
Barclay, 19th News is a political reporter. She has a decade of
experience covering government and elections, from tiny South Florida
localities to Congress. Most recently, Mel was a Virginia politics reporter at
the Richmond Times-Dispatch, and previously covered federal policy at POLITICO.
Mel is an immigrant of the Dominican Republic and native Spanish speaker.
Originally
published by The 19th
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