WASHINGTON — Donald Trump plans to release more details in the coming weeks about how his administration will regulate access to medication abortion, according to a lengthy interview he gave to Time magazine on Tuesday.
Trump, the likely Republican presidential nominee, said he had “strong views” on access to mifepristone but declined to specify them. He did not rule out a nationwide ban or the imposition of fresh restrictions.
“Well, I have an opinion on that, but I’m not going to explain it,” Trump said, according to Transcript of the interview. “I’m not going to say it yet. But I have a pretty clear opinion on it. And I’ll probably publish it over the next week.”
Mifepristone is one of two drugs used in medical abortions, which account for more than 63% of abortions nationwide, according to Research from the Guttmacher Institute.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration originally approved mifepristone in 2000 before updating prescribing guidelines in 2016 and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The changes in when and how mifepristone can be prescribed are at the heart of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling case by medical organizations and doctors who oppose abortion. A decision is expected in the summer on whether access to mifepristone will remain as it is now or be reset to the pre-2016 level.
Revoking the prescription requirement would mean that mifepristone would no longer be approved until the seventh week of pregnancy, but until the tenth week as before. It could no longer be prescribed via telemedicine and sent to patients. Patients would have to attend three in-person doctor’s appointments and only doctors would be allowed to prescribe it, not qualified healthcare providers with the authority to prescribe medicines.
“Big announcement” about the Comstock Act
Trump was also asked about the Comstock Act, an 1873 anti-obscenity law that conservative organizations and anti-abortion activists believe a Republican attorney general could be banned Shipping of Mifepristone nationwide.
When asked whether his Justice Department would seek to enforce the Comstock Act to ban the mailing of abortion drugs, Trump said, “I will make a statement on that in the next 14 days.”
The interview took place on April 12, more than 14 days ago.
“I have a big statement on that,” Trump said. “I have a very strong opinion on that. I actually think it’s a very important issue.”
Trump card said in a video In early April, he said he believes regulating access to abortion should be left to state legislatures, angering anti-abortion activists and some members of his own party who believe there should be a federal law restricting access.
Trump said in the interview with Time that he does not have a robust opinion on states punishing women who seek abortions. Anti-abortion organizations generally oppose punishments for women, but Trump Mention it in the past.
“I don’t have to feel comfortable or uncomfortable,” Trump said of states punishing women who seek abortions. “The states will make that decision. The states will have to feel comfortable or uncomfortable, not me.”
When asked about this issue, Trump said he believed some states were monitoring women’s pregnancies.
Trump, who is registered to vote in Florida, repeatedly refused to say how he would vote, Voting question This would include protection of abortion rights in the state constitution.
“I’m not telling you what I’m going to vote for,” Trump said. “I’m just telling you the state is going to make a decision.”
Biden’s campaign team reacts
Biden-Harris campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez said in a written statement that Trump’s re-election would be a threat to reproductive rights.
“Simply put, the November election will determine whether women in the United States have reproductive freedom or whether Trump’s new administration will continue its assault on women’s control over their health care decisions,” Rodriguez wrote.
“With the electorate on their side, President Biden and Vice President Harris will put an end to this chaos this November and ensure that Americans’ fundamental freedoms are protected.”
Mini Timmaraju, president and CEO of Reproductive Freedom for All, said in a written statement on Trump’s recent comments on abortion: “I have not the slightest doubt that Trump will put anti-abortion activists and their terrible agenda ahead of American families at every opportunity. And this new interview proves that he will ban abortion in all 50 states.”
“It is imperative that we double down on our mission to re-elect the Biden-Harris candidacy and build majorities in Congress to enshrine our right to abortion care in federal law.”
