On Monday, Donald Trump said abortion choices should be left to the states to calm concerns about his unclear approach as president.
The former president has electrified Democrats nationwide, boosted his opponent's campaign's signature issue, threatened a critical swing state, and received scorn from erstwhile allies in his own party in the past three days.
Trump's erratic abortion stances this week—on Monday supporting states' rights and on Wednesday opposing them—show his messaging challenges as he enters the general election and tries to overcome Roe v. Wade's repeal.
Trump publicly dissented from a party faction and opposed a countrywide abortion ban on Monday. He lamented GOP losses since Roe was reversed in his video speech, citing political politics.
One day later, an Arizona Supreme Court ruling triggered an 1864 legislation that subjected anybody who performed or assisted in an abortion to felony prosecution and up to five years in jail.
Adopting nationwide abortion restrictions could cost Republicans down-ballot. Accepting states' rights makes Trump responsible for the most extreme policies in those states.
President Trump told reporters Wednesday he would not sign a countrywide abortion ban. Trump then posted two Truth Social videos about the problem late Wednesday, indicating he is still struggling with messaging.
However, Trump has supported both, making it difficult for him to fight Democratic messaging that accuses him of being responsible for every state decision and threatening a federal abortion ban.
Trump has fluctuated on abortion throughout his career. He declared himself “pro-choice” and supported “partial-birth abortion” in 1999 as a longtime New Yorker. Before running for president as a Republican in 2015, he still lauded Planned Parenthood. Upon taking office in 2017, he promised to nominate judges to overturn Roe v. Wade.
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