By Veronica Straqualursi, Kristen Holmes, and Kit Maher
Former President Donald Trump faced criticism this week from his Republican presidential competitors regarding his recent remarks on abortion to NBC News. In the interview, he referred to Florida’s six-week abortion ban as a “terrible mistake” and expressed his willingness to collaborate with both parties on the issue. This drew a response from former Vice President Mike Pence, who is vying for the GOP presidential nomination. Pence utilized Trump’s comments to argue that Trump is moving away from conservative principles.
Pence stated on Fox Business, “Just this weekend again, you saw [Trump] walking away from our commitment to the sanctity of human life. I’m pro-life. People that know me know, I’ll always stand for the unborn. He actually said that a Heartbeat Bill adopted in Florida, and in places like Georgia and Ohio and South Carolina, and Iowa was a quote, terrible mistake.”
He added in an interview with Fox News Radio that Trump’s comments “just suggests to me that he is backing away from that cause.”
Pence is not the only Republican competitor to address Trump’s remarks. The Republican presidential field is divided on the issue of abortion, which has become a key concern for voters following the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade. Trump himself has fluctuated in his approach to the issue, privately and publicly expressing that he does not believe abortion is a winning political topic, particularly in a general election. He often avoids discussing the topic during campaign speeches. However, he has taken credit for the appointment of three conservative justices to the Supreme Court, which resulted in the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina criticized Trump’s stance, stating that he is “wrong on the issue” for not supporting a 15-week federal ban. Scott plans to sponsor Senate legislation next week that would ban abortion at 15 weeks of pregnancy. On Fox News Radio, Scott remarked, “But he’s not alone. Ron (DeSantis) has the same position. Nikki (Haley) has the same position, and Vivek (Ramaswamy) has the same position of letting the states decide on when they stop abortions.”
During his campaign in Iowa, Scott called out Trump over his comments on abortion, highlighting the importance of this issue to the state’s Christian conservative voters. Scott, who typically avoids attacking fellow Republicans, stated that Trump’s refusal to specify how many weeks of pregnancy he would support restricting abortion signals a departure from his previous stance. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has also used the issue of abortion to differentiate himself from Trump. DeSantis accused Trump of preparing to “sell out” pro-lifers and criticized his comments on state-level abortion restrictions in Iowa, South Carolina, and Florida. DeSantis, who signed a bill into law in April to ban most abortions after six weeks, stated in an interview with ABC News that Trump made a “big mistake” with his comments.
DeSantis told ABC News, “When you provide pro-life protections that say when a baby has a heartbeat, there are protections, that is not something that pro-lifers think is terrible. They think that is a noble and just thing to do.” When asked if he believed Trump was “pro-life,” DeSantis responded, “Well, you tell me.”
DeSantis also argued that Trump’s positions have changed since his entry into politics in 2015, and he now aligns less closely with the desires of Republican voters. DeSantis emphasized the importance of the evangelical vote in Iowa and how Trump’s comments have raised concerns among this key voting bloc.
Iowa Republican Governor Kim Reynolds, who has not yet endorsed a candidate for the 2024 primary, indicated her disagreement with Trump’s remarks. Reynolds stated, “It’s never a ‘terrible thing’ to protect innocent life” and expressed pride in the fetal heartbeat bill passed by the Iowa legislature and signed by her into law.
During a campaign event in Iowa, Trump addressed the controversy surrounding his comments on abortion and emphasized the need for Republicans to communicate their stance effectively on the issue to win in 2024. He mentioned that exceptions for rape, incest, and the health of the mother are crucial, indicating his support for these exceptions.
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