6.64°C Vancouver

Apr 8, 2024 6:31 PM - The Associated Press

Trump declines to endorse a national abortion ban and says it should be left to the states

Share On
trump-declines-to-endorse-a-national-abortion-ban-and-says-it-should-be-left-to-the-states
Many people have asked me what my position is on abortion and abortion rights," Trump said in the video posted on his Truth Social site. (Photo: The Canadian Press)

Former President Donald Trumpsaid he believesabortionshould be left to the states in a video released Monday morning outlining his position after months of mixed messages and speculation.

“Many people have asked me what my position is on abortion and abortion rights," Trump said in the video posted on his Truth Social site. “My view is now that we have abortion where everybody wanted it from a legal standpoint, the states will determine by vote or legislation or perhaps both. And whatever they decide must be the law of the land in this case, the law of the state."

Trump, in the video, did not say when in pregnancy he believes abortion should be banned declining to endorse a national cutoff that would have been used as a cudgel by Democrats ahead ofthe November election. But Trump's endorsement of the patchwork approach leaves him open to being attached to the strictest proposed state legislation, which President Joe Biden and his reelection campaign have already been working to do.

In the video, Trump again took credit forthe U.S. Supreme Court's decision to end Roe v. Wade, saying that he was “proudly the person responsible for the ending” of the constitutional right to an abortion and thanking the conservative justices who overturned it by name.

While he again articulated his support for three exceptions in cases of rape, incest and when the life of the mother is at risk he went on to describe the current legal landscape, in which different states have different restrictions following the court's Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling on June 24, 2022, which upended the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.

“Many states will be different. Many will have a different number of weeks or some will have more conservative than others and that’s what they will be," he said. “At the end of the day it's all about will of the people.”

The announcement drew immediate condemnation from SBA Pro-Life America, one of the country's most prominent groups opposed to abortion rights.

“We are deeply disappointed in President Trump’s position,” said the group's president, Marjorie Dannenfelser, in statement. “Unborn children and their mothers deserve national protections and national advocacy from the brutality of the abortion industry. The Dobbs decision clearly allows both states and Congress to act.”

Biden's campaign said Trump was “endorsing every single abortion ban in the states, including abortion bans with no exceptions.”

“And he’s bragging about his role in creating this hellscape,” campaign spokesperson Ammar Moussa said on X.


Latest news

drug-related-offences-rise-nationally-for-first-time-in-12-years-statcan
CanadaOct 29, 2025

Drug-related offences rise nationally for first time in 12 years – StatCan

Statistics Canada says the country’s rate of police-reported drug crime has increased for the first time in more than a decade, marking a 13 per cent jump between 2023 and 2024. The new data shows the rise was driven by higher numbers of possession and trafficking charges involving cannabis, cocaine and opioids other than heroin. Despite the recent uptick, the national rate remains well below its historical peak. The 2024 figure stood at 128 incidents per 100,000 people – down 61 per cent from a high of 330 in 2011. The Northwest Territories recorded the highest rate of drug crime last yea
bc-government-calls-emergency-meeting-with-federal-ministers
BCOct 29, 2025

BC government calls emergency meeting with federal ministers

The BC government is calling an emergency meeting with federal ministers in Vancouver next week, also known as the Forestry Sector Summit, in light of the trade dispute with the US and the recent increase in tariffs on softwood, with Forestry Minister Ravi Parmar inviting federal ministers Dominique LeBlanc and Melanie Joly to attend. The BC government intends to seek financial assistance from the federal government to help the struggling forestry sector and combat the tariffs. Parmar said that forestry for us in BC is like the auto sector and the steel sector, which the government should a
IndiaOct 29, 2025

CBI books Punjab DIG HS Bhullar in fresh case for amassing disproportionate assets

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a fresh case against arrested Punjab IPS officer Harcharan Singh Bhullar for allegedly amassing disproportionate assets running into several crores, far beyond his known sources of income. The registration of this second case follows a detailed written complaint dated October 29 by CBI Inspector Sonal Mishra, who cited the recovery of massive undeclared wealth from Bhullar’s residence during searches earlier this month.
a-serious-motorcycle-crash-that-closed-highway-97c-is-prompting-a-call-for-witnesses-and-video
BCOct 29, 2025

A serious motorcycle crash that closed Highway 97C is prompting a call for witnesses and video

Police are looking for witnesses and dash-camera video to explain what led to a serious, single-vehicle motorcycle collision that shut down Highway 97C. On October 27, 2025, at 2:15 p.m., a blue Harley-Davidson with two people on board crashed on Highway 97C several kilometres north of the junction with Highway #8. The driver of the motorcycle, a 37-year-old man was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. His passenger, a 39-year-old Logan Lake woman was hospitalized with life-altering and life-threatening injuries. “Alcohol and speed are being investigated as contributing fa
ford-urges-u-s-ambassador-to-apologize-after-reported-outburst-at-ontario-trade-representativ
CanadaOct 29, 2025

Ford urges U.S. ambassador to apologize after reported outburst at Ontario trade representativ

Ontario Premier Doug Ford says the U.S. ambassador to Canada should apologize to the province’s trade representative in Washington following reports of a heated exchange over an anti-tariff advertisement. Sources told The Canadian Press that Ambassador Pete Hoekstra shouted at Ontario’s representative, David Paterson, during an event in Ottawa earlier this week. The reported confrontation centred on an Ontario government ad that aired in the United States criticizing tariffs and featuring a clip of former U.S. president Ronald Reagan saying tariffs do not work in the long term. The ad repo

Related News