On Monday president-in-exile Donald J. Trump posted a video in which he affirmed IVF (in vitro fertilization) but declined to endorse a federal abortion ban. Instead, he said that the issue should be left to the states.
Many pro-life conservatives were severely disappointed by his announcement, especially since he had said he would sign a federal ban on abortion during his previous administration.
As a 2016 presidential candidate, Trump embraced a federal abortion ban as he sought to consolidate Republican support for his unexpected ascension to GOP nominee. He sent a letter to anti-abortion leaders committing to signing legislation that would have criminalized abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, with exceptions for instances in which the life of the mother is at risk or cases involving rape or incest.
President of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, Marjorie Dannenfelser, issued a statement typical of the pro-life response.
“We are deeply disappointed in President Trump’s position. 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.
“Saying the issue is ‘back to the states’ cedes the national debate to the Democrats who are working relentlessly to enact legislation mandating abortion throughout all nine months of pregnancy. If successful, they will wipe out states’ rights.
A bit stronger was the statement from LiveAction, the pro-life advocacy organization founded and led by Lila Rose.
Killing babies is always wrong. President Trump is not a pro-life candidate. He’s far less pro-abortion than Biden, but he supports killing some preborn children and will even make that his position in an attempt to get pro-abortion votes.
President Trump also says that abortion should come down to the “will of the people.” It is not right for democratic societies to vote on the fundamental rights of unpopular minorities. There is no more unpopular minority today than preborn Americans. Abortion is not about the “will of the people,” it’s about respecting the human right that we are endowed with by our creator. Our rights come from God, not the government. Those rights do not change because of the circumstances of our conception. Children conceived in rape do not deserve to be killed. Children conceived in IVF do not deserve to be killed, frozen indefinitely or subjected to lethal science experiments.
President Trump’s position also stands in opposition to the GOP platform, which has for decades advanced the idea that the federal government has a vigorous role in protecting children from abortion.
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That position represents the views of the vast majority of Republican voters and supporters of former President Trump. It is tragic that President Trump is abandoning this long-held Republican position. President Trump’s new position is not leadership; it’s a stab in the back against his supporters. With a leader like this, the GOP has little hope of making meaningful progress to protect preborn children. President Trump’s mistake will also make it more challenging for the pro-life movement to win statewide referendums.
Human life begins at fertilization, and this is the true pro-life position. Human life deserves protection from the moment life begins.
Personally, I am in full agreement with the position on abortion in both statements. Human beings should not be executed in the womb because they’re inconvenient or for any other reason.
But I’m also sympathetic to the political realities facing Trump. In order to get a federal ban or even some federal restriction on abortion, we have to win the presidency, along with the House and Senate. To win office, Trump has to attract as many voters as he possibly can (without totally selling out). If the margin is too small, the Democrats will cheat again and win. (They’ll cheat no matter what.)
I particularly liked the tone set by Tony Perkins, president of the pro-life Family Research Council, in his response (read the whole thing).
Trump is not a perfect candidate. Ironically, he’s the closest “choice” we have to a pro-life president. Let’s not forget his nominations of Gorsuch, Kavanaugh and Barrett, who sent Roe to the ash heap of history. He deserves our thanks for that.
Would I like a hardline pro-life candidate to vote for? Yes. Do I have one on the ballot come November? It’s not looking like it.