Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance has indicated that former President Donald Trump would veto any federal legislation seeking to impose a nationwide abortion ban, aiming to distance himself from hardliners within his party on this contentious issue.
Since April, Trump, who is 78, has maintained that he would prefer to leave abortion regulations to individual states. However, his stance has not quelled Democratic accusations that he may be considering a national ban, particularly since he has taken credit for the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
In an interview with NBC’s Kristen Welker on “Meet the Press,” Vance affirmed Trump’s position: “I can absolutely commit that, Kristen. Donald Trump has been as clear about that as possible.”
Vance elaborated, “Donald Trump wants to end this culture war over this particular topic. We want the federal government to focus on these big economic and immigration questions. Let the states figure out their abortion policy.”
The issue of abortion remains a significant vulnerability for Trump as he campaigns for the November 5 presidential election. His attempt to balance between alienating independent voters and maintaining support from his anti-abortion base has been a challenge.
During the recent Democratic National Convention, Vice President Kamala Harris accused Trump and his allies of aiming to ban medication abortion and enact a nationwide abortion ban with or without congressional support. In response, Trump asserted on Truth Social that “My Administration will be great for women and their reproductive rights,” attempting to counteract criticisms.
Trump’s evolving stance on abortion has been a subject of scrutiny. While he has generally opposed federal intervention in abortion policies, he has also voiced opposition to strict bans like the near-total ban in Arizona, which was later rolled back. Trump had previously supported a 20-week ban in 2018.
Vance’s comments reflect a broader strategy to mitigate abortion as a contentious issue in Trump’s campaign. Vance, who has a history of anti-abortion advocacy, has sought to align closely with Trump’s position while navigating the complexities of public opinion on the matter.
Other prominent Republicans, including former Vice President Mike Pence and various anti-abortion groups, have expressed frustration with Trump’s shifting stance on abortion.
