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As have the last several Republicans to hold the office of the president, Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump has announced that he supports the murder of children through abortion in cases of rape, incest and the life of the mother.
“Let me be clear — I am pro-life,” Trump wrote in an op-ed published in the Washington Examiner on Saturday. “I support that position with exceptions allowed for rape, incest or the life of the mother being at risk.”
During a press conference on Tuesday, he further told reporters that his views on abortion have changed, remarking that he “never gave it much thought” in the past.
“When it comes to pro-life I’ve evolved,” he said.
However, Trump did not wish to discuss the matter further when asked how he would criminalize abortion or if he believes the morning-after pill is an abortifacient.
“All I can tell you is this I’m pro-life and I’ve been pro-life a long time,” he stated.
As previously reported, in 1999, during an interview with the late Tim Russert on “Meet the Press,” Trump stated that he “hated” abortion but that he would not ban the procedure as president, including partial birth abortion.
“I’m very pro-choice,” Trump said. “And again, it may be a little bit of a New York background because there is some different attitude in different parts of the country, and you know, I was raised in New York—grew up and worked and everything else in New York City.”
“But you would not ban it (partial birth abortion)?” Russert asked.
“No,” Trump replied. “I am pro-choice in every respect and as far as it goes, but I just hate it (abortion).”
In his op-ed on Saturday, Trump said that he “did not always hold [his current] position,” but, without explanation conveyed that he “had a significant personal experience that brought the precious gift of life into perspective for me.” Trump stated that he now sees that Roe v. Wade has resulted in the deaths of millions of Americans.
“Over time, our culture of life in this country has started sliding toward a culture of death,” he wrote. “Perhaps the most significant piece of evidence to support this assertion is that since Roe v. Wade was decided by the Supreme Count 43 years ago, over 50 million Americans never had the chance to enjoy the opportunities offered by this country.”
Roe v. Wade, however, centered on a Texas woman named Norma McCorvey who sought an abortion over an alleged rape, which Trump states that he would allow for an exception. McCorvery later admitted that she had lied, as she was never raped. She also never obtained an abortion, but placed her child up for adoption and became a vocal pro-life advocate.
Trump’s statements allowing for exceptions are similar to those made by other recent Republican presidents, including George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush.
“My own position on abortion is well-known and remains unchanged. I oppose abortion in all cases except rape or incest, or where the life of the mother is at stake,” George H.W. Bush said in 1992.
”My position has always been three exceptions: rape, incest and the life of the mother,” George W. Bush likewise outlined in 2006.
The current Hyde Amendment also bans the funding of abortion with the exceptions of rape, incest and the life of the mother.
Last August, Trump said that while he opposes the abortions committed by Planned Parenthood, he believes “[t]hey do good things.”
“There’s two Planned Parenthoods, in a way. You have it as an abortion clinic. Now that’s actually a fairly small part of what they do, but it’s a brutal part and I’m totally against it,” Trump said. “They also, however, service women. … A lot of women are helped. So we have to look at the positives for Planned Parenthood.”
Planned Parenthood applauded his remarks, stating “Donald Trump seems to have realized that banning all abortions, shutting down the government, and defunding Planned Parenthood are extreme positions that are way too far outside the mainstream for even him to take.”
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