Trump warns Republicans to talk about abortion “correctly”
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Former President Trump in Washington on June 13. Photo: ALLISON BAILEY/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images.
Former President Trump urged House Republicans on Thursday to adopt a measured tone on abortion on the 2024 campaign trail and to embrace exceptions to restrictions on the procedure, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: Abortion has emerged as Democrats' most potent political weapon in the two years since Roe v. Wade was overturned, a reality the former president acknowledged during a closed-door Capitol Hill meeting.
What we're hearing: In addition to asserting that GOP lawmakers and candidates need to talk about abortion "correctly," Trump argued the issue should be left to the states and stressed support for exceptions, according to multiple members in attendance.
- The former president told his congressional allies that abortion has "cost" the GOP politically, but that it is "too important to ignore."
- He argued that Democrats are the "radicals" on the issue and "support abortion so far along that nobody supports that," calling Republicans the "party of common sense."
Between the lines: Trump's position is largely in-line with where the Republican establishment and campaign apparatus are – urging Republicans to stress state-level solutions that include reasonable exceptions.
The intrigue: While Trump was speaking to lawmakers, the Supreme Court threw out its biggest abortion-related case since overturning Roe, saying that doctors opposed to a commonly used abortion pill, mifepristone, lacked legal standing.
- Use of the drug has increased since Roe was overturned, and Thursday's high court action further complicates GOP efforts to restrict abortion access.
What they're saying: Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.), a vocal advocate for strict abortion restrictions, said the former president's comments signaled that a second Trump administration wouldn't pursue federal limits on access.
- "I think it will be as simple as exactly what it should be from the beginning: 50 states have the ability to make a decision, why turn it over to the federal government?" Kelly said.
- "With the [Senate] filibuster, we're not going to get any strong pro-life or pro-abortion policies passed. So the reality is: It is going to be at the state level," said Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.).
Zoom in: Several Republicans in districts President Biden won in 2020 signaled alignment with Trump on the issue.
- "It's a states' rights issue. Now it's up to the people to decide what they want in their respective states," said Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-Ore.).
By the numbers: A record 32% of voters say they would only vote for candidates for major offices if they share their views on abortion, according to a new Gallup poll out Thursday.
The other side: Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.) told Axios that leaving abortion access up to states would still put women's lives in jeopardy.
- "Up to the states?! Why don't we ask Amanda Zurawski what she feels about that?," Balint said, referring to a Texas woman who nearly died after being denied abortion access under the state's strict post-Roe limits.
- "The former president doesn't care at all about the health of women," she added.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional reporting.
