President Trump formally addressed the hot-button topic of abortion in an official policy video posted to his Truth Social account on Monday morning, preceding a weeks’ worth of anticipation from pro-life and pro-choice advocates.
The president began by talking about fertility technology in America, specifically zeroing in on in vitro fertilization, or IVF.
He explained, “Under my leadership, the Republican Party will always support the creation of strong, thriving, and healthy American families. We want to make it easier for mothers to have babies – not harder. That includes supporting the availability of fertility treatments like IVF in every state in America.”
Trump’s IVF statements were critical for many voters on the heels of a controversial IVF-related bill passed in Alabama this year that threatened the legality of the long-utilized fertility technology. After backlash, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (R) signed legislation that currently protects IVF providers from liability, per the Associated Press.
In his Monday policy announcement, Trump stated that he was “very pleased” to hear about Gov. Ivey’s move to sign the IVF-protecting legislation into law in her state. “The Republican Party should always be on the side of the miracle of life…IVF is an important part of that, and our great Republican Party will always be with you in your quest for the ultimate joy in life,” he remarked.
More important than his IVF stance, perhaps, was the president’s long-awaited announcement about abortion. Trump has consistently advocated for pro-life policies with support for three exceptions: rape, incest, and the life of the mother.
Preceding his announcement on Monday, Trump explained on Truth Social, “Great love and compassion must be shown when even thinking about the subject of LIFE, but at the same time we must use common sense in realizing that we have an obligation to the salvation of our Nation, which is currently in serious DECLINE, TO WIN ELECTIONS, without which we will have nothing other than failure, death, and destruction.”
In his announcement video, Trump pointed out that he was “proudly responsible” for appointing three U.S. Supreme Court justices during his time in the White House, which ultimately facilitated the demise of federal abortion protections in Roe v. Wade.
He began, “It must be remembered that the Democrats are the radical ones on this position because they support abortion up to and even beyond the ninth month – the concept of having an abortion in the later months and even execution after months…it unacceptable and almost everyone agrees with that.”
Trump noted that the “states will determine by vote or legislation or perhaps both and whatever they do must be the law of the land – the law of the state.”
The president pointed out that because of state sovereignty, many states would be “different” on the issue of abortion, with some having a higher or lower threshold of weeks’ of life that the baby would have to meet for the termination of pregnancy.
“At the end of the day, this is all about the will of the people,” Trump said. “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 and VOTE.”
Trump also thanked the six conservative justices for “having the courage to allow this long-term hardcore battle to finally end,” referring to the historic overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022.
He stressed yet again that abortion was now a state issue, not a federal issue. “This 50-year battle over Roe v. Wade took it out of the federal hands and brought into the hearts, minds and vote of the people of each state was really something. Now, it’s up to the states to do the right thing.”
President Trump highlighted his support of allowing abortion in three exceptional circumstances, as he always has: rape, incest, and the life of the mother. “
He posited, “You must follow your heart on this issue, but remember you must also WIN elections to restore our culture and, in fact, to save our country, which is currently, and very sadly, a nation in decline.”
The president said that the United States needed help, unity, and “needs us all to work closer together,” and stated how critical it was to “bring our nation back from the brink.”
“We will do it, I promise you…we have to win, we are a failing nation, and we can be a failing nation no longer, we will make our nation great, we will make our nation greater than ever before,” he concluded.