Former President Donald Trump recently discussed the topic of states’ rights concerning abortion and his stance on the proposed Life at Conception Act, which seeks to grant full legal rights to embryos. This measure is included in the 2025 budget proposal by the Republican Study Committee, representing about 80% of the GOP caucus.
When asked if he supports the Life at Conception Act, Trump responded by emphasizing his commitment to leaving the issue of abortion to individual states, acknowledging that different states may take varied stances on the matter. He said, “The states are going to be different. Some will say yes. Some will say no. Texas is different than Ohio.” His answer implied that his approach allows for states to set their own abortion policies rather than imposing a federal mandate.
When pressed on whether he would veto the Life at Conception Act, Trump stated, “I don’t have to do anything about vetoes, because we now have it back in the states.” This response underscores his preference for a decentralized approach, where each state determines its laws on abortion, rather than a uniform federal policy.
Trump also mentioned a forthcoming statement on the abortion pill, indicating that it would be released within two weeks. However, when interviewed by phone two weeks later, he delayed the statement, saying, “I’ll be doing it over the next week or two.” This delay leaves uncertainty about his position on the abortion pill and related issues.
Overall, Trump’s comments suggest that he is leaning toward a states’ rights approach to abortion, allowing each state to determine its laws and regulations, rather than advocating for a nationwide policy. This approach could lead to considerable variation across states regarding abortion rights and regulations, reflecting the broader political and cultural landscape in the United States.
You came out this week and said that abortion should be left to the states and you said you won’t sign a federal ban. So just to be clear: Will you veto any bill that imposes any federal restrictions on abortions?
Trump: You don’t need a federal ban. We just got out of the federal. You know, if you go back on Roe v. Wade, Roe v. Wade was all about—it wasn’t about abortion so much as bringing it back to the states. So the states would negotiate deals. Florida is going to be different from Georgia and Georgia is going to be different from other places. But that’s what’s happening now. It’s very interesting. But remember this, every legal scholar for 53 years has said that issue is a state issue from a legal standpoint. And it’s starting to work that way. And what’s happened is people started getting into the 15 weeks and the five weeks or the six weeks and they started getting into, you know, time periods. And they started all of a sudden deciding what abortion was going to be.
People want to know whether you would veto a bill, if it came to your desk, that would impose any federal restrictions. This is really important to a lot of voters.
Trump: But you have to remember this: There will never be that chance because it won’t happen. You’re never going to have 60 votes. You’re not going to have it for many, many years, whether it be Democrat or Republican. Right now, it’s essentially 50-50. I think we have a chance to pick up a couple, but a couple means we’re at 51 or 52. We have a long way to go. So it’s not gonna happen, because you won’t have that. Okay. But with all of that being said, it’s all about the states, it’s about state rights. States’ rights. States are going to make their own determination.
Do you think that—
Trump: And you know what? That’s taken tremendous pressure off everybody. But we—it was ill-defined. And to be honest, the Republicans, a lot of Republicans, didn’t know how to talk about the issue. That issue never affected me.
So just to be clear, then: You won’t commit to vetoing the bill if there’s federal restrictions—federal abortion restrictions?
Trump : I won’t have to commit to it because it’ll never—number one, it’ll never happen. Number two, it’s about states’ rights. You don’t want to go back into the federal government. This was all about getting out of the federal government. And this was done, Eric, because of—this was done, this issue, has been simplified greatly over the last one week. This is about and was originally about getting out of the federal government. The last thing you want to do is go back into the federal government. And the states are just working their way through it. Look at Ohio. Ohio passed something that people were a little surprised at. Kansas, I mean, places that are conservative and big Trump states, I mean, Ohio and way up Kansas, all these states, but they passed what they want to pass. It’s about states rights.
I understand, sir. Your allies in the Republican Study Committee, which makes up about 80% of the GOP caucus, have included the Life of Conception act in their 2025 budget proposal. The measure would grant full legal rights to embryos. Is that your position as well?
Trump: Say it again. What?
The Life at Conception Act would grant full legal rights to embryos, included in their 2025 budget proposal. Is that your position?
Trump: I’m leaving everything up to the states. The states are going to be different. Some will say yes. Some will say no. Texas is different than Ohio.
Would you veto that bill?
Trump: I don’t have to do anything about vetoes, because we now have it back in the states.
Okay.
Trump: They’re gonna make those determinations.
