Former President Trump said Tuesday he would veto a federal abortion ban if it came to his desk in a possible second term, after previously refusing to say whether he would do so.
Trump commented on abortion on Truth Social as the issue was being discussed in the vice presidential debate between Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D).
“Everyone knows that I would not support a federal abortion ban under any circumstances and would even veto it because it is up to the states to decide based on the will of their voters (the will of the people!). “Wrote Trump.
Trump during a Sept. 10 presidential debate with Vice President Harris rejected several times to say whether he would veto a national abortion ban, saying it was an unnecessary question.
“I’m not in favor of banning abortion, but that doesn’t matter because this issue has now been taken over by the states,” Trump said at that debate. “I wouldn’t have to.”
Democrats fear that a Trump presidency could enact nationwide abortion restrictions or a ban without Congress by invoking the Comstock Act, an 1873 law that bans the mailing of abortion-related materials.
Walz and Vance spoke at length about abortion during Tuesday’s vice presidential debate.
Walz cited several cases of women whose lives were at risk because of abortion restrictions in their states. Vance acknowledged that Republicans could do a better job of getting the message across on the issue, but echoed Trump’s stance that the issue should be left to the states after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
The Harris campaign has focused heavily on the issue of abortion access and repeatedly warned that a second Trump presidency would lead to additional restrictions on reproductive health care. Harris said she would Sign laws the codification of Roe v. Wade into law, although such a bill is unlikely to make it through a narrowly divided Congress.
Trump has said he supports exemptions allowing abortions in cases of rape, incest and cases where the mother’s life is at risk. He also attacked Democrats for supporting late-term abortions and refusing to spell out the restrictions they support.
