Trump says Arizona went too far with abortion law: ‘That will be straightened out’
Former President Trump said Wednesday Arizona had gone too far after the state Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld an 1864 law that made performing abortion a felony.
The former president, speaking to reporters after landing in Georgia for a fundraiser, said the law in Arizona would “definitely” change and defended his view that abortion policy should be left to the states even as some of them enact restrictive bans.
“Yeah, they did,” Trump said when asked if Arizona went too far. “And that will be straightened out. And as you know, it’s all about states’ rights. That will be straightened out. And I’m sure that the governor and everybody else are going to bring it back into reason, and that will be taken care of, I think, very quickly.”
The Arizona law, which also includes an extremely narrow exception for “when it is necessary” to save a pregnant person’s life, will go into effect in 14 days unless the Legislature moves to repeal it.
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) called for the 1864 ban to be repealed, and the state’s Democratic attorney general has said she will not enforce any bans on abortion.
Trump was also asked Wednesday if Florida had gone too far after the state’s top court allowed a ban on abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy to go into effect and triggered a six-week ban. The former president said the state’s law was “probably maybe going to change.”
“It’s the will of the people, this is what I’ve been saying. It’s a perfect system,” he said.
The Florida court ruling also allowed for a ballot measure in November that would protect abortion rights in the state. Advocates in Arizona are working to get a similar measure on the state’s ballot in November.
Trump earlier this week released a four-minute video statement in which he declined to say whether he would support federal legislation restricting abortion. Instead, he said it should be left up to the states either by legislation or by vote.
Democrats seized on the Arizona ruling and tied it directly to Trump, arguing it was evidence of what happens to abortion access when it is left to the states.
The Biden campaign has also repeatedly highlighted Trump taking credit for ending Roe v. Wade, something he did again Wednesday.
“For 52 years people have wanted to end Roe v. Wade to get it back to the states. We did that,” Trump said. “It was an incredible thing, an incredible achievement, we did that.”
“Now the states have it, and the states are putting out what they want,” he continued. “It’s the will of the people. So Florida’s probably going to change. Arizona is going to definitely change, everybody wants that to happen. And you’re getting the will of the people. It’s been pretty incredible when you think about it.”
The Biden campaign on Wednesday ripped Trump’s comments and argued his track record spoke for itself. Officials have noted his past comments in which he said women who got an abortion should face punishment, and his administration’s record in rolling back support for abortion.
“Donald Trump owns the suffering and chaos happening right now, including in Arizona, because he proudly overturned Roe – something he called ‘an incredible thing’ and ‘pretty amazing’ just today,” Biden campaign communications director Michael Tyler said in a statement.
“Trump lies constantly – about everything – but has one track record: banning abortion every chance he gets,” Tyler added. “The guy who wants to be a dictator on day one will use every tool at his disposal to ban abortion nationwide, with or without Congress, and running away from reporters to his private jet like a coward doesn’t change that reality.”
Updated at 1:20 p.m.
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