Trump says he wouldn't sign federal abortion ban

By Zac Anderson
and David Jackson
US Today

..... Former President Donald Trump said Wednesday [04/10/2024] he would not sign a federal abortion ban if he's elected to a second term and reiterated that states should handle the issue - even as he criticized an Arizona court decision reinstating a law that completely bans the procedure except in life-threatening emergencies.
..... The statement followed some questions after Trump said in a video released Monday [04/08/2024] that reconstruction on abortion access should be left up to the states. Two days later, the former president further clarified his position on federal abortion law, saying "no" when asked if he would sign a federal ban.
..... "As you know, it's all about states' rights," Trump told reporters after landing in Atlanta for a fundraiser.
..... Trump hasn't said which state-level abortion reconstructions he supports, but he has made clear he believes abortion is an issue that favors Democrats in a tight election year. [2024]
..... Trump also responded to a question about whether Arizona went "too far" on abortion restrictions by declaring, "yeah, they did."
..... "It'll be straightened out," he added. "And I'm sure that the governor and everybody else are going to bring it back into reason."
..... The former president also continued to tout the fact that his conservative U.S. Supreme Court appointees were key in overturning Roe v. Wade, the decision that had protected abortion rights from coast to coast.
.... "For 52 years people have wanted to end Roe v. Wade to get it back to the states," Trump said Wednesday. [04/10/2024] "We did that."
..... Supporters of President Joe Biden said Trump is creating a smokescreen, seeking to reassure moderates by downplaying a federal ban while placating his politician base by tacitly supporting state efforts to target reproductive rights, even as he criticizes some of their more draconian measures.
..... "The guy who wants to be a dictator on day one will use every toll at his disposal to ban abortion nationwide, with or without Congress," said Biden campaign spokesman Michael Tyler.
..... The recent Arizona Supreme Court ruling reinstating an 1864 abortion ban shows how the issue could continue to bedevil Trump. many states have pursued aggressive restrictions on abortion in the wake of Roe's demise, including Florida, which passed a ban on the procedure after six weeks of pregnancy.
..... Asked about Floria;s law Wednesday, [04/10/2024] trump said, "Florida's probably, maybe, gonna change also."
..... A constitutional amendment protecting abortion rights will be on the ballot in Florida this year. [2024] Democrats believe it will pump up their turnout and give them a chance at a state that is essential for Trump.

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