- The Washington Times - Thursday, August 29, 2024

Former President Donald Trump dismayed pro-life advocates with his comments that the six-week abortion limit in Florida’s heartbeat law is “too short,” but his campaign said he has yet to decide how he will vote on Amendment 4, the state’s sweeping abortion-rights ballot measure.

Trump campaign press secretary Karoline Leavitt jumped in Thursday after Mr. Trump told NBC News that he thought the heartbeat law, which bars most abortions after six weeks’ gestation, was “too short.”

“President Trump has not yet said how he will vote on the ballot initiative in Florida, he simply reiterated that he believes six weeks is too short,” Ms. Leavitt told media outlets.

In the impromptu Thursday interview, Mr. Trump criticized the heartbeat law, which was signed into law last year by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.

“I think the six-week is too short. It has to be more time. And I’ve told them that I want more weeks,” said Mr. Trump, a Florida resident.

He was then asked about Amendment 4, which would bar restrictions on abortion access until fetal viability, or about 22-23 weeks’ gestation, and then permit abortions after viability “to protect the patient’s health,” which includes mental health.

“I am going to be voting that we need more than six weeks,” Mr. Trump said. “Just so you understand, everybody wanted Roe v. Wade terminated for years. Fifty-two years. I got it done. They wanted it to go back to the states. Exceptions are very important for me, for Ronald Reagan, for others.”

His apparent willingness to consider supporting Amendment 4, which would wipe out virtually all restrictions on abortion access, came as what some abortion foes decried as his latest betrayal of the pro-life movement.

“Totally devastating. President Trump just announced he will vote in support of Amendment 4 in Florida, which permits abortions on babies up until birth, without restriction,” said Lila Rose, president of the pro-life group Live Action, on X. “Pro-Life America, speak now!!”

The conservative outlet National Review declared in a headline: “Trump Stabs Florida Pro-Lifers in the Front.”

During his one term in the White House, Mr. Trump was hailed as the most pro-life president in U.S. history, becoming the first sitting president to speak in person at the annual March for Life.

His accomplishments included appointing three Supreme Court justices who voted with the 6-3 majority that overturned Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that legalized abortion nationwide.

In the last few weeks, however, the Republican presidential nominee has tempered his pro-life stance by declaring, for example, that his administration would be “great for women and their reproductive rights.”

Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of SBA Pro-Life America, said she reached out to Mr. Trump after his Thursday comments on Amendment 4.

“I spoke with President Trump this evening,” she said. “He has not committed to how he will vote on Amendment 4. President Trump has consistently opposed abortions after five months of pregnancy. Amendment 4 would allow abortion past this point. Voting for Amendment 4 completely undermines his position.”

As a proposed constitutional amendment, Amendment 4 requires 60% of the vote in the Nov. 5 election to gain passage.

“We strongly support Florida’s current heartbeat law,” Ms. Dannenfelser said in a statement. “For anyone who believes in drawing a different line, they still must vote against Amendment 4, unless they don’t want a line at all. Amendment 4 would lock unlimited abortion into the state constitution, preventing the Florida legislature from enacting any changes.”

Mr. Trump is running for a second term against Vice President Kamala Harris, a staunch supporter of unlimited abortion access.

• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.

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