Trump Urges Abortion Ban Advocates to Stand Up for  ‘Innocent Life’

Former President Donald Trump on Monday urged a staunchly anti-abortion Christian group to stand up for “innocent life,” ambiguously revisiting an issue that Democrats want to make a focus of this year’s presidential election.

The former president and presumptive Republican nominee’s pre-recorded message praised the work of those attending the event hosted by The Danbury Institute.

This newly-formed institute is an association of churches, Christians, and organizations aiming to eradicate abortion entirely. The event coincided with the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention in Indianapolis.

A panel of in-person speakers doubled down on the anti-abortion stance on Monday. A top Southern Baptist leader, Albert Mohler, president of the SBC’s flagship seminary, called for a hardline position against in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Mohler described IVF as a “commodification of the embryo” that assaults human dignity. He criticized pastors and politicians, including those in Alabama, which protected IVF providers from prosecution and civil lawsuits after a state Supreme Court ruling said frozen embryos are children.

Trump has often credited himself for the overturning of a federally guaranteed right to abortion, having nominated three of the justices who overturned Roe v. Wade. However, he has resisted supporting a national abortion ban, insisting the issue should be left to the states. Contrary to Mohler’s view, Trump supports IVF access.

In his recorded remarks, Trump thanked the audience for their “tremendous devotion to God and Country.” He emphasized the need for collective effort to preserve values such as religious liberty, free speech, innocent life, and America’s heritage and traditions.

“You just can’t vote Democrat. They’re against religion. They’re against your religion in particular,” Trump stated. “You cannot vote for Democrats and you have to get out and vote.”

Both Southern Baptists and Republicans at large remain divided on abortion politics. Some advocate for immediate, complete abortion bans, while others prefer incremental tactics.

Polls over recent years have shown a majority of Americans support some access to abortion. Abortion-rights groups have secured several statewide victories since Roe was overturned, including in conservative-led states like Kansas and Ohio.

Like the GOP, the Southern Baptist Convention has shifted steadily to the right since the 1980s. Its members have been at the forefront of a broader religious movement that has consistently supported Republican presidents from Ronald Reagan to Trump.

The Conservative Baptist Network, one of the event’s sponsors, seeks to push the conservative denomination even further right.

Despite criticizing President Bill Clinton’s sexual behavior in the 1990s, Southern Baptists and other evangelicals have supported Trump. This support has persisted despite allegations of sexual misconduct, multiple divorces, and his conviction on 34 charges related to a scheme to influence the 2016 election through a hush money payment to a porn actor. Trump addressed the group the same day he appeared virtually for a required pre-sentencing interview with New York probation officers.

Many Southern Baptists view Trump as the only viable alternative to a Democratic agenda they oppose. H. Sharayah Colter, spokesperson for The Danbury Institute, described the presidential race as a “binary choice,” noting Trump’s “willingness to protect the value of life even when politically unpopular.”

Albert Mohler, who leads Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, and was once a vocal critic of Clinton, wrote a column after Trump’s conviction attacking Democrats for supporting transgender rights. “Say what you will about Donald Trump and his sex scandals, he doesn’t confuse male and female,” Mohler wrote. On Monday, he denounced Trump’s prosecution and conviction, while other speakers addressed themes of Christian nationalism, blending American and Christian identity.

Trump has stated he would not sign a national abortion ban. In a recent interview on Fox News, he commented on the varying state laws on abortion, suggesting that “the people are deciding and in many ways, it’s a beautiful thing to watch.”

For over a year until this spring, Trump avoided endorsing any specific national limit on abortion, unlike many other Republicans who have since ended their presidential campaigns. Trump has repeatedly acknowledged the political sensitivity of the issue, suggesting he would “negotiate” a policy that includes exceptions for rape, incest, and protecting the life of the mother.

Democrats and President Joe Biden’s campaign have sought to tie Trump to the most conservative state-level abortion bans and a recent Alabama Supreme Court ruling that would restrict access to IVF and other fertility procedures. These procedures remain broadly popular.

“Four more years of Donald Trump means empowering organizations like The Danbury Institute who want to ban abortion nationally and punish women who have abortions,” said Sarafina Chitika, a spokesperson for Biden’s campaign. “Trump brags that he is responsible for overturning Roe, he thinks the extreme state bans happening now because of him are ‘working very brilliantly,’ and if he’s given the chance, he will sign a national abortion ban. These are the stakes this November.”

When asked about his appearance before The Danbury Institute, Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt stated that Trump “has been very clear: he supports the rights of states to determine the laws on this issue and supports the three exceptions for rape, incest, and life of the mother.”

Leavitt also emphasized Trump’s commitment to engaging with groups holding diverse opinions on various issues, citing his recent speech at the Libertarian Convention, his meetings with unions, and his efforts to campaign in diverse neighborhoods across the country.