In typical fashion, former Republican President Donald Trump has again claimed he never said what he's said repeatedly in speeches and on social media.
This time he's trying to backtrack from all of his boasts about killing Roe v. Wade and threats against anyone seeking access to medically-sound reproductive healthcare.
On Monday, Trump posted a video to his Truth Social platform boasting about Roe v. Wade, but falling short of his previous comments about a national abortion ban, restrictions on reproductive healthcare including birth control and IVF, and punishment for anyone who seeks bodily autonomy—even under doctor's recommendations.
You can watch Trump's video here:
Trump lied about legal opinions of Roe v Wade, stating he was:
"...proudly the person responsible for the ending of something that all legal scholars, both sides wanted and in fact demanded be ended..."
Apparently "many people told him" misinformation about legal opinions on reproductive rights.
It's unclear if any of those so-called legal scholars Trump referenced were outside the Federalist Society—the Christian nationalist organization that has chosen Republican nominated Supreme Court Justices for decades.
But for even members of his own party, Roe v. Wade was considered settled law. SCOTUS Justice Brett Kavanaugh lied to Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins' face about that very legal opinion.
But unlike prior interviews and speeches before his MAGA minions, Trump then claimed:
"My view is now that we have abortion where everybody wanted it from a legal standpoint, the states will determine by vote or legislation, or perhaps both, and whatever they decide must be the law of the land. In this case, the law of the state."
Without an ounce of self-awareness for his repeated attempts to overturn his 2020 election loss, Trump added:
"At the end of the day, this is all about the will of the people."
Unless those people vote for someone who isn't Donald J. Trump.
"You must follow your heart, or in many cases, your religion or your faith. Do what’s right for your family and do what’s right for yourself."
"Do what’s right for your children. Do what’s right for our country."
Then in a move not aligned with the Christian nationalists who support him, the presumptive GOP presidential candidate said:
"Like Ronald Reagan, I’m strongly in favor of exceptions for rape, incest and life of the mother."
People immediately called Tataŋka čheslí (🦬💩) on Trump's newest reproductive rights stance.
@MollyJongFast/X
@GavinNewsom/X
Trump's new stance didn't appeal to his pro-forced birth backers who are counting on him to push their Christian nationalist agenda.
President of SBA Pro-Life America Marjorie Dannenfelser expressed her disappointment in an official statement. Her organization demands a national abortion ban as well as eyeing limiting female birth control and IVF.
Dannenfelser stated:
"Unborn children and their mothers deserve national protections and national advocacy from the brutality of the abortion industry."
But Trump and other flip-flopping Republicans have seen what happens to the radical pro-forced birth members of their party on the national stage.
While their medical misinformation, general ignorance of female reproductive organs, and no exceptions total reproductive healthcare bans may play well in their gerrymandered home congressional districts or red states, they fail to achieve the same popularity nationwide.
For pay-for-play Republicans like Trump whose only credo is "show me the money," a lot of backtracking on reproductive rights will be taking place between now and the 2024 general elections.
Too bad voters kept their receipts.
By contrast, the Biden-Harris campaign reaffirmed their commitment to equal reproductive rights across genders in a statement sent to the media.
Democratic President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris stated Monday:
"Donald Trump made it clear once again today that he is—more than anyone in America—the person responsible for ending Roe v. Wade. He is—more than anyone in America—responsible for creating the cruelty and the chaos that has enveloped America since the Dobbs decision."
“Trump once said women must be punished for seeking reproductive health care—and he’s gotten his wish. Women are being turned away from emergency rooms, forced to go to court to seek permission for the medical attention they need, and left to travel hundreds of miles for health care."
The Democratic incumbents brought some Trump receipts, too.
"In states like Florida, abortion will likely soon be illegal before many women know they’re pregnant. Because of Donald Trump, one in three women in America already live under extreme and dangerous bans that put their lives at risk and threaten doctors with prosecution for doing their jobs."
"And that is only going to get worse. With all his empty words on fertility treatments, Trump doesn’t tell you the MAGA Republicans he controls in Congress have put forward bills that could ban fertility treatments and that the Speaker of the House he empowered is one of the strongest supporters for a national abortion ban in the nation."
"Let there be no illusion. If Donald Trump is elected and the MAGA Republicans in Congress put a national abortion ban on the Resolute Desk, Trump will sign it into law."
"Here’s what Donald Trump doesn’t understand: When he ripped away Roe v. Wade, he ripped away a fundamental right for the women of America that the United States Supreme Court had affirmed and reaffirmed for 50 years."
"As a fundamental right, it didn’t matter where you lived. It was granted to you as an American, not as a resident of any state."
"Generations of women had come to rely on that right. Now we’re in the extraordinary position where women today have fewer rights than their mothers and grandmothers."
"That has never happened before in America. And it cannot be allowed to stand."
The 2024 Democratic presidential and vice presidential candidates added they are:
"...determined to restore the federal protections of Roe v. Wade. So it won’t matter where you live in America: The fundamental right to choose for women will once again be the law of the land. If you give me and Vice President Harris a Democratic Congress, that is exactly what we will do."
Biden-Harris 2024 called out Trump's alternative facts...
"Trump is simply lying. There was no groundswell of support in America for overturning Roe. In fact, support for Roe is higher today in America than it has ever been."
"The real truth is Trump made a political deal in 2016. He promised to appoint a Court that would get rid of Roe. And he had to make good on that debt. So he did. It was never about public policy or what was right or what Trump believed. It was always about politics."
"Trump admits as much in his statement today. Having created the chaos of overturning Roe, he’s trying to say, 'Oh, never mind. Don’t punish me for that. I just want to win.'"
...and his desperation.
"Trump is scrambling. He’s worried that since he’s the one responsible for overturning Roe the voters will hold him accountable in 2024..."
"They will. America was built on personal freedom and liberty. So, there is nothing more un-American than having our personal freedoms taken away. And that is what Donald Trump has done."
"...Donald Trump and all those responsible for overturning Roe don’t have a clue about the power of women in America. But they are about to find out."
