Vance Clarifies Trump’s Stance on Abortion Pill Amid Controversy

[Social Media]

 

Days after former President Donald Trump suggested he might consider banning access to mifepristone, a key drug used in medication abortions, Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance moved quickly to clarify Trump’s remarks. Vance's comments came during an appearance on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” where he was questioned about the possibility of a Trump-Vance administration using the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to restrict access to mifepristone.

 

When asked directly about the potential of blocking access to the abortion pill, Vance responded with a firm denial. “Well, no,” Vance stated. “What the president has said very clearly is that abortion policy should be made by the states, right? You of course want to make sure that any medicine is safe and it’s prescribed in the right way, and so forth.” Vance emphasized that Trump’s position has consistently been that individual states and their voters should have the authority to determine their abortion policies, and the federal government should respect these state-level decisions.

 

Vance also underscored Trump’s desire for the Republican Party to step away from the cultural battles surrounding the abortion issue. He reiterated that Trump has long believed in empowering states to make their own decisions regarding abortion, rather than imposing federal mandates.

 

This clarification came after Trump’s comments during a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort last week, where he seemed to leave the door open to potentially banning mifepristone. When asked by NBC News whether he would consider directing the FDA to revoke access to the drug, Trump responded, “You could do things that ... would supplement — absolutely — those things are pretty open and humane.” He went on to suggest that there are “many things on a humane basis that you can do outside of that,” but emphasized the importance of allowing people to have a vote on abortion-related issues.

 

Trump’s recent remarks appeared to contrast with his previous stance on the abortion pill. During a CNN debate in June, Trump explicitly stated that he would “not block it.” The mixed messaging raised concerns and prompted further inquiries into the former president’s true position.

 

Karoline Leavitt, the national press secretary for Trump’s campaign, sought to clear up any confusion, telling NBC News that Trump has consistently supported states’ rights to make decisions on abortion. Leavitt also mentioned that the questions posed during the Mar-a-Lago press conference were “difficult to hear,” and assured that Trump’s stance on mifepristone remains unchanged. She pointed out that “the Supreme Court unanimously decided on the issue and the matter is settled.”

 

In June, the Supreme Court upheld access to mifepristone, rejecting a challenge from a group of anti-abortion doctors. However, access to the drug continues to vary by state following the Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, a landmark ruling that previously guaranteed a constitutional right to abortion.

 

During his CBS interview, Vance was asked to address Trump’s recent comments in more detail. Vance again attributed any misunderstanding to the difficulty in hearing the questions posed at the press conference. “Maybe he couldn’t hear that person super clearly, so I don’t want to put words in President Trump’s mouth,” Vance said. He reiterated that Trump supports the Supreme Court’s decision to keep mifepristone on the market and emphasized that Trump believes the states should be the ones making decisions on such issues.

 

On the same day, Vance appeared on ABC News’ “This Week,” where he was not directly asked about the campaign’s stance on mifepristone. Instead, the conversation shifted to how Vance might advise Trump on voting in Florida’s upcoming referendum on expanding abortion access. Vance noted that Trump has consistently maintained that decisions on abortion should be made at the state level. He declined to speak for Trump, saying, “I’ll let Donald Trump offer his position and I’ll talk about it then.”

 

Vance did, however, offer some insight into his own views. He suggested that Trump should continue seeking common ground and advancing pro-family policies that could provide more options for women facing unplanned pregnancies. “A lot of the reason that women choose to terminate a pregnancy is very often they don’t feel like they have any other choice,” Vance explained. “We want to give them more options to choose to have that baby, to make it easier to raise that baby.”

 

The back-and-forth over Trump’s comments and Vance’s subsequent clarifications highlight the ongoing complexities and sensitivities surrounding the issue of abortion within the Republican Party. Trump’s position, which has at times appeared fluid, continues to draw attention and scrutiny, particularly as the party navigates its messaging on an issue that remains deeply polarizing across the United States.

 

Credit: NBC News  2024-08-13

 

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

 

Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

[placeholder]

The article got one thing very wrong; namely,

"In June, the Supreme Court upheld access to mifepristone, rejecting a challenge from a group of anti-abortion doctors."

What it did rule was that the group of doctors who instigated this blatantly ridiculous case had no standing. To put it another way, the court ruled that they had no dog in this fight.

But it definitely did not uphold access to mifepristone.

As for Trump not directing the FDA to ban or limit access to the drug. Who knows? He actually appointed 2 good FDA commissioners. But that was before Covid struck and the MAGA world went mad. Now conspiracy theories about the FDA abound and attacks on the vaccine approval process has become a red meat issue for them. 

[Berkshire]

11 hours ago, Social Media said:

Vance also underscored Trump’s desire for the Republican Party to step away from the cultural battles surrounding the abortion issue. He reiterated that Trump has long believed in empowering states to make their own decisions regarding abortion, rather than imposing federal mandates.

This cop-out answer of leaving abortion access to the states will not work in this election.  I understand Trump's position: he really doesn't care.  If blue states want to legalize all manner of abortion, fine.  If red states want to outlaw abortion, fine.  Trump wants to please his right-wing pro-life faction, but not upset the suburban women and young people because he needs all of their votes.  The problem is Trump will be allowing the most extreme right-wing states to dictate his abortion policy for him.  Which means the Democrats will be able to hammer Trump on this issue where the majority of Americans believe that women should be in control of their reproductive decisions.  This issue is a loser for Trump/Vance and there isn't a darn thing they can do about it.  

[newnative]

     555  Yes, wouldn't Trump 'desire' to 'step away' from the abortion issue.  It's a big loser for him, and despite his claim that it's not a 'big factor' in elections, clearly it is.  He lost the women's vote in 2020--57% voted for Biden--and that cost him the election.  Interestingly, 54% of women voted for Clinton in 2016, so he actually lost ground with them in 2020, after his one horrible term as the worst president in history. 

     Likely he will do no better with women in 2024, and certainly isn't helped by his 'cat woman' dud of a VP choice.   (Hint to Trump:  When you're forced to step in front of a camera and declare that a VP choice doesn't make a difference in an election, you've lost that argument.)

[Sweet Swede]

He is more than weird. He is also creepy and so much more. He really is a good running mate for Trump.