Proof Trump is NOT pro-life: “The Laws Are Set’ on Abortion, I Think We Have to Leave It that Way’”
Two days after GOP presidential contender Donald Trump caused a firestorm after walking back his statement that women who have illegal abortions should receive some form of “punishment,” he said during another interview that abortion “laws are set,” and they should be left that way until changed.
In an interview on CBS’ Face the Nation – the broadcast of which will be aired on Sunday – Trump again attempted to clarify his views to moderator John Dickerson.
When asked by Dickerson – from a pro-abortion perspective — “What would you do to further restrict access to abortion?” Trump responded, “The laws are set now on abortion and that’s the way they’re going to remain until they’re changed.”
“A question was asked to me. And it was asked in a very hypothetical,” Trump explained about his prior MSNBC interview with Chris Matthews. “And it was said, ‘Illegal, illegal.’ I’ve been told by some people that was an older line answer and that was an answer that was given on a, you know, basis of an older line from years ago on a very conservative basis.”
When Dickerson mentioned a prior Bloomberg interview during which Trump reportedly said he believed abortion should be banned after a certain point in pregnancy, Trump replied, “I would’ve preferred states’ rights. I think it would’ve been better if it were up to the states. But right now, the laws are set….At this moment, the laws are set. And I think we have to leave it that way.”
“Do you think abortion is murder?” Dickerson asked. After considering the question for several moments, Trump responded, “I have my opinions on it, but I’d rather not comment on it.”
“You said you were very pro-life,” Dickerson followed up. “Pro-life means that…abortion is murder.”
“I mean, I do have my opinions on it. I just don’t think it’s an appropriate forum,” said Trump.
“But you don’t disagree with that proposition, that it’s murder?” Dickerson asked.
“No, I don’t disagree with it,” Trump replied.
When Dickerson suggested to Trump that some have said this week has been the worst of his campaign, the GOP candidate said, “I think I’ve had many bad weeks and I’ve had many good weeks. I don’t see this as the worst week in my campaign.”
“But certainly, I’ve had some weeks, and you’ve been reporting on them, where that was the end,” he added. “And then the next week, you see poll numbers where they went up and everybody’s shocked.”
As The Hill reports, Trump campaign manager Hope Hicks defended Trump’s abortion comments to CBS, referring to them as “nothing new.”
