After boasting that he killed Roe v. Wade, former President Donald Trump announced that if re-elected, he would leave it to states to decide on abortion law and restrictions.
When the Arizona Supreme Court decided this week to reinstate a 1864 abortion ban which does not include exceptions for rape or incest, Trump was asked if “Arizona went too far.” He replied: “yeah, they did” and added, “And I’m sure the governor and everyone else are going to bring it back into reason, and it will be taken care of and very quickly.”
Reporter: “Did Arizona go too far [with their near-total abortion ban]?”
Donald Trump: “Yeah, they did … It’s all about states’ rights … Arizona is going to definitely change. Everybody wants that to happen. And you’re getting the will of the people.” pic.twitter.com/WoPo6B600H
— The Recount (@therecount) April 10, 2024
Note: Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs (D), who won the 2022 election against MAGA loyalist Kari Lake (who has changed her tuned about that 123-year law), said: “The fact is that some of the Republicans right now, who are saying that this decision went too far, are the same politicians who celebrated the Dobbs decision, which paved the way for this court ruling today.”
[RELATED: Trump’s “Great Talker” Says Taking a Bus To Abortion “Not the Worst Thing”]
Hobbs has called on the legislature to repeal the 1864 ban and protect access to reproductive health care.
When Trump was asked about Florida, which has added an abortion rights ballot initiative (so voters can vote on whether or not to enshrine abortion rights to its State constitution), he said, “Florida’s probably maybe going to change also. See, it’s all, it’s the will of the people. This is what I’ve been saying. It’s a perfect system.”
Y’all this fool is just spitballing on women’s health. He advocates for states rights (“let the states decide”) and when Arizona “decides” he now says they went too far? So they don’t get to decide? Trump has yet to give a direct answer on abortion. And he won’t; but know this:… https://t.co/TJvt2qWqOJ
— Michael Steele (@MichaelSteele) April 10, 2024
Former Republican National Committee (RNC) chair Michael Steele responded to Trump’s comments: “Y’all this fool is just spitballing on women’s health. He advocates for states rights (‘let the states decide’) and when Arizona ‘decides’ he now says they went too far? So they don’t get to decide? Trump has yet to give a direct answer on abortion. And he won’t; but know this: Trump will sign a 15 week National Ban as president.”
Trump also said “for 52 years people wanted to end Roe v Wade to get it back to the states, we did that. It was an incredible thing.” Republicans including Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who wants federal limits on abortion, said Trump is wrong and made a mistake in saying the issue should be left to states.