HOUSTON (AP) – The leader of a major anti-abortion group aligned herself with former President Donald Trump on the issue Monday, just weeks after raising questions about her pledge to restrict access to the procedure.
Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the group Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, said in a statement that she “reiterated that any federal legislation that protects these children should include the exceptions for the lives of children,” calling her Monday’s meeting with Trump “excellent.” the mother and in cases of rape and incest”.
The characterization of the meeting, which Dannenfelser’s group said took place at Trump’s home in Florida, marked a turnaround from more than two weeks ago. Dannenfelser then called Trump’s claim that abortion restrictions should be left up to individual states, not the federal government, a “morally indefensible position for a self-proclaimed pro-life presidential candidate.”
Dannenfelser’s group has said it would not support any White House candidate who did not support at least a federal ban on abortion past 15 weeks. His statement about Monday’s meeting with the GOP front-runner did not mention any discussion of proposed limits for a federal ban, other than Trump’s opposition to late procedures, which he has long opposed. time
Trump has referred to himself as “the most pro-life president in American history” as his three nominations of conservative Supreme Court justices paved the way for the overturning of Roe v Wade, which had legalized abortion nationwide for nearly 50 years.
But in the early months of his 2024 bid, Trump has often shied away from the issue of abortion, even as Republicans across the country celebrate the Supreme Court decision that effectively strips federal constitutional rights.
On Monday, Dannenfelser repeated a description he had previously used, calling Trump’s tenure “the most consequential in American history for the pro-life cause.” Despite the credit Trump received for his judicial nominations, he was criticized after last year’s election for saying that Republicans’ poor performance was due to abortion foes’ opposition to exceptions for women who became pregnant through rape or incest or whose lives were at risk.
The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment about the meeting, which Dannenfelser also said included Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, one of Trump’s top allies in Congress, along with the president of the Family Research Council, Tony Perkins, a Christian conservative ally of Trump’s El.
Every candidate running in the Republican presidential primary or heading toward a run has supported state abortion bans. Most have been much more cautious about taking a position on a nationwide ban, though businessman Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign has said it believes it’s an issue for the states, not the federal government
Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, who has launched a presidential exploratory committee and is expected to enter the race later this month, has said he would sign a federal bill to ban abortions after 15 weeks. ‘pregnancy if he is elected president.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis last month signed a state abortion ban that, if upheld by the courts, would ban the procedure after six weeks of pregnancy, or before many women know they’re pregnant . It will take effect only if the state Supreme Court, which is controlled by conservatives, upholds Florida’s current 15-week ban, which is part of an ongoing legal challenge.
Florida’s ban would be one of the toughest in the United States, but DeSantis has not made clear his position on whether such restrictions should be imposed nationwide.
Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina and former ambassador to the United Nations, has called abortion a “personal issue” that should be left to the states, although she has left open the possibility of a federal ban. Last month, in a speech at SBA headquarters, Haley said she saw a federal role in the debate but did not endorse a national ban.
Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who as governor signed a law banning abortion after six weeks of pregnancy, has said he would sign a federal ban, but did not say what terms he would support as president .
Trump’s stance has provided an opening on the right for potential challengers such as former Vice President Mike Pence, an evangelical Christian with long-standing anti-abortion views. Pence’s advocacy group, Advancing American Freedom, has pushed for Congress to pass legislation that includes a national ban on abortion after about six weeks.
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