Sen. J.D. Vance said Sunday he has not discussed a national abortion ban with former President Donald Trump and can’t speak about whether Mr. Trump would veto one if he is reelected.
“I think that I’ve learned my lesson on speaking for the president before he and I have actually talked about an issue,” Mr. Vance, Mr. Trump’s running mate, said on NBC News’ “Meet the Press.”
“What he has said at the debate, which is quite explicit, is he doesn’t support a national ban,” the Ohio Republican said. “He thinks it’s ridiculous to talk about vetoing a piece of legislation that isn’t going to come before the president in the first place.”
Mr. Vance has said before that Mr. Trump does not support a national abortion ban and is content with letting the states decide. But during last week’s presidential debate, Mr. Trump said he “didn’t discuss” abortion with Mr. Vance.
“And I don’t mind if he has a certain view, but I don’t think he was speaking for me,” Mr. Trump said.
On Sunday, Mr. Vance said the duo still hasn’t discussed it.
“We still haven’t discussed it, by the way, because it’s not realistic, Kristen. I think that was the point that he made during the debate, is he’s been incredibly clear that he doesn’t support a national abortion ban,” Mr. Vance said. “He wants abortion policy to be made by the states because he thinks, look, Alabama is going to make a different decision from California, and that’s okay. We’re a big country. We can disagree.”
He said Mr. Trump has been “clear” about a national abortion ban not being “on the table.”
“He wouldn’t support it, he wouldn’t sign it,” he said. “And I think, frankly, Kristen, it’s kind of a ridiculous hypothetical because, if a national abortion ban was brought before the United States Senate right now, it would get, at best, 10 senators out of the 100.”
• Mallory Wilson can be reached at mwilson@washingtontimes.com.
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