(USNewsMag.com) – A top Democrat lawmaker blasted former President Donald Trump for claiming that many local state laws on abortion post-Roe v. Wade are working “very brilliantly,” accusing him of trying to con women into believing his position is more moderate.
Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota appeared on ABC News on Monday, April 15th, and told “This Week” host George Stephanopoulos that “American women” would not “be conned” by Trump, who Smith says is “responsible for what’s going on” in the in Arizona and other states passing strict abortion restrictions. Her comments come in the wake of Trump’s recent clarification of his official position on abortion for his 2024 presidential campaign.
On Monday, April 8th, Trump posted a four-minute video on his Truth Social page in which the former president supported in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures, taking credit for stacking the Supreme Court enough to roll back Roe v. Wade, claimed to support abortions only for special exceptions, and stopped short of endorsing a federal abortion ban. Instead of pledging to use the federal government to restrict abortion nationwide, Trump said his official stance was to leave things the way they are and allow each state to determine how to approach legislating it.
A few days after Trump’s announcement, the Arizona Supreme Court upheld a law from 1864 that makes abortions a felony. Trump, sticking to his moderate position, decried the ruling as “inappropriate” and said it goes “too far.” He called on the state’s voters and lawmakers to “remedy” the situation with a more up-to-date policy.
Smith says Trump is actually the one who is “responsible for these abortion bans,” and that the former president “caused all of this chaos and cruelty.” She added that she believes he will also be “held accountable” for his role in overturning Roe v. Wade in the upcoming presidential election. When pressed further about why she disagreed with Trump’s position, Smith said leaving it up to the states is “working the way it’s supposed to” for the former president and others who support the bans.
So far, 14 states have passed abortion bans for every stage of pregnancy, with some special exceptions, while other states have heavily restricted the practice. Whether or not Trump’s position will win or lose him more voters remains to be seen, but the issue will certainly be a determining factor for many who cast their ballots in November.
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