Vice President Kamala Harris claimed former President Trump would install a national abortion ban that would allow for no exceptions despite Trump saying moments before he believes in exceptions for abortion.
‘Now, in over 20 states, there are Trump abortion bans, which make it criminal for a doctor or nurse to provide health care in one state. It provides prison for life. Trump abortion bans that make no exception, even for rape and incest, which understand what that means,’ Harris said Tuesday evening from Philadelphia’s National Constitution Center.
‘A survivor of a crime of violation to their body does not have the right to make a decision about what happens to their body. That is immoral, and one does not have to abandon their faith or deeply held beliefs to agree the government and Donald Trump certainly should not be telling a woman what to do with her body,
‘Understand, if Donald Trump were to be re-elected, he will sign the national abortion ban.’
Moments before, Trump said he believes in exceptions for abortion, similar to former President Reagan.
‘I believe in the exceptions for rape, incest and life of the mother,’ Trump said during the debate. ‘I believe strongly in it. Ronald Reagan did also. Eighty-five percent of Republicans knew exceptions are very important,’ he said.
Trump added in his rebuttal that he does not support a national abortion ban and that Harris’ comments were an ‘absolute lie.’
‘As far as the abortion ban, no, I’m not in favor of an abortion ban, but it doesn’t matter, because this issue has now been taken over by the states,’ Trump said.
The Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, and Trump praised the decision. His campaign says abortion laws and issues should be left up to individual states after the Dobbs decision.
Earlier this year, Trump drew the condemnation of some pro-life conservatives for the GOP’s more muted language on abortion this election cycle and for saying last month that Florida’s six-week abortion ban ‘is too short.’ He has since said he will vote against a Florida amendment that would legalize abortion through the ninth month of pregnancy and has doubled down that abortion laws and issues should be left up to states to decide.