Donald Trump on Wednesday said Arizona went too far with its abortion ban based on a 19th century law but he defended his role in ending nationwide abortion rights, in his latest balancing act on a critical election issue.
The Republican candidate’s remarks in Atlanta, Georgia came two days after he confounded some conservatives by releasing a message on the hot-button subject in which he made no mention of a national abortion ban.
Trump has emitted mixed signals for months, frustrating core supporters who oppose abortion as he seeks to avoid backing the more sweeping bans that have been rejected by voters at the ballot box.
In his video message Monday he said abortion rights should be left up to the states.
But on Wednesday, when asked by a reporter whether he believed Arizona went “too far” in upholding a near total ban on abortion, Trump agreed.
“Yeah they did, and that will be straightened out,” he said, adding: “I’m sure that the (Democratic) governor and everybody else are going to bring it back into reason, and that will be taken care of I think very quickly.”
Trump, who during his presidency appointed three conservative justices to the US Supreme Court, sought to take credit for its “incredible” 2022 ruling that ended nearly half a century of nationwide abortion rights protections.
“We did that, and now the states have it, and the states are putting out what they want,” the 77-year-old said in Atlanta. “It’s the will of the people.”
Conservatives have been left baffled and furious.
His former vice president Mike Pence, an evangelical Christian, called the positioning “a slap in the face” to pro-life Americans who backed Trump in 2016 and 2020.
Since the Supreme Court returned abortion issues to individual states, some Republican-led states have enacted near-total bans, and there is a powerful movement in the party pushing for a national ban.
“We are deeply disappointed in President Trump’s position,” said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the anti-abortion Susan B. Anthony group.
Threading a ‘fine needle’
Trump, who has flip-flopped on abortion during his political career, had suggested in March he would favor a national ban after 15 or 16 weeks of pregnancy.
In backing off, Trump wants to avoid alienating women voters.
The Supreme Court’s 2022 ruling has cost Republicans politically. The party turned in a disappointing performance in midterm elections that year, and conservatives have repeatedly lost in referendums and other votes concerning abortion.
On his platform Truth Social, Trump urged disgruntled allies to “get on with helping Republicans to WIN ELECTIONS, rather than making it impossible for them to do so!”
He is “trying to thread a fine needle” between satisfying his hard-right base and not alienating centrists, Heather Ondercin, an associate professor of politics at Appalachian State University, told AFP.
Trump is betting on evangelical Christians sticking with him over his 2024 rival, President Joe Biden.
But while polls show most Americans want abortion to remain legal, the Republican Party is “strongly aligned” with the anti-abortion position and even national bans, Ondercin said.
“That’s going to make it really hard for them to move in a more moderate direction on the issue,” she added.
While Trump aims to steer the campaign debate towards issues like inflation, crime and immigration, abortion remains in the headlines as state after state passes legislation or otherwise rules on the procedure.
On Monday the highest court in Arizona, which Biden narrowly won in 2020, upheld an 1864 law that imposed a near-total ban on abortion.
Democrats have sought to lay responsibility for the abortion access crisis squarely at Trump’s feet.
“Trump lies constantly — about everything — but has one track record: banning abortion every chance he gets,” Biden campaign communications director Michael Tyler said in a statement.
