Trump says ‘states will determine’ abortion laws after considering backing national restrictions

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – Former President Donald Trump said Monday that “states will determine” decisions on abortion policies after previously saying he was considering backing nationwide restrictions at 15 weeks.

Trump made the statement in a video released Monday on social media, saying he’s “proudly the person responsible for ending” Roe v. Wade.

Trump went on to say that “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.”

He added, “This 50-year battle over Roe v Wade took it out of the federal hands and brought it into the hearts, minds and votes of the people in each state. It’s really something.”

Trump acknowledged that different states’ policies will vary, with some being more restrictive than others. He also alluded to the challenges some in his party have faced politically since the Supreme Court issued the Dobbs decision in 2022.

“You must follow your heart on this issue. But, remember you must also win elections to restore our culture, and in fact, to save our country, which is currently and very sadly a nation in decline,” Trump said.

In his statement, he did not say how he would vote on a proposed constitutional amendment in his home state of Florida that would protect the right to abortion before fetal viability or to protect a patient’s health. He also did not explicitly say what he would do if Congress passed a bill restricting abortion nationwide or weighed in on the availability of the abortion medication mifepristone, which is the subject of a case before the U.S. Supreme Court.

As CBS 17 reported over the weekend, the Biden campaign will make the issue a key focus this week in North Carolina, as two women impacted by abortion restrictions in their home states will share their experiences.

The campaign released an ad Monday featuring Amanda Zurawski, who lives in Texas and said she “nearly died” when she went into labor prematurely at 18 weeks but was sent home and told to come back if she showed signs of a life-threatening infection. She later developed sepsis.

She’ll travel to Durham, Charlotte and Winston-Salem this week along with Kaitlyn Joshua, who was impacted by abortion restrictions in Louisiana when she said two hospitals turned her away when she was experiencing a miscarriage between 10 and 11 weeks of pregnancy.

“Former President Trump has never been a supporter of women’s reproductive freedom,” said Rep. Deborah Ross (D-NC 2^nd). “The former president is dangerous for women and dangerous for our country.”

Following the Dobbs decision, Republicans in North Carolina enacted a new law restricting abortion after 12 weeks with exceptions for rape, incest, protecting the mother’s life and life-limiting fetal anomalies.

They waited to pass that law until after the 2022 election once they had a veto-proof supermajority following Mecklenburg County Rep. Tricia Cotham’s decision to change parties.

Senate leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) described the new law as “very balanced” and said he does not see a need for further restrictions.

“I imagine when Democrats push and message on this issue in 2024, they’re doing it in a very different political context that is presumably more amenable to that message,” said NC State political science professor Steven Greene, who studies public opinion on abortion. “Honestly, my own research, which I’ve been working on lately suggests that after Dobbs, the ground has really shifted on this. And, we argue that essentially these days a ban is a ban.”

Trump also weighed in on a recent court decision in Alabama which led some providers to stop offering IVF service, saying he would “strongly support the availability of IVF for couples who are trying to have a precious baby.”

He commended the state legislature in Alabama for acting to try to restore access following that decision.

Rep. Ross said, “Former President Trump has been lying to the American people since he first ran for the presidency. And, he continues to lie to the American people every single day.”

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