Washington — Former President Donald Trump expressed his views on an Arizona law dating back to 1864 that prohibits almost all abortions, stating that he believes it goes too far. However, he continued to praise the Supreme Court decision in 2022 that overturned Roe v. Wade and eliminated the constitutional right to abortion.
During a press briefing at the airport in Atlanta, the former president mentioned that he anticipates Arizona state legislators will make adjustments to the Civil War-era prohibition. The Arizona Supreme Court recently approved the law, stating that it can be enforced. This law permits abortions solely in cases where the mother's life is at risk, without any exceptions for rape or incest.
"It's a matter of state's rights, and that issue will be resolved," Trump remarked. "I am confident that the governor and others will address this and it will be rectified swiftly, I believe."
Abortion remains a significant topic in the 2024 election. Democrats are optimistic that the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in June 2022 — which was influenced by three justices appointed by Trump — will serve as a catalyst for voters who support upholding abortion rights.
Trump made a statement on Monday through a video, where he chose not to support a federal abortion ban, a stance that many anti-abortion groups have been urging him to take. Instead, he mentioned that access to abortion will be determined by individual states through voting or legislation, or possibly both.
"It's the will of the people," Trump emphasized on Wednesday.
He further praised the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade as an "incredible achievement."
"We made that happen," Trump stated. "And now, the states have the authority, and they are enacting their own regulations."
The three justices appointed by the former president to the Supreme Court, namely Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett, voted in favor of ending the constitutional right to abortion.
In Arizona, a 160-year-old law upheld by the state supreme court takes precedence over a law passed in 2022 that bans abortion after 15 weeks. Advocates for abortion rights are currently working on a campaign to include an initiative on the November ballot that would modify the state constitution to establish abortion as a fundamental right until viability, typically between 22 and 24 weeks into pregnancy.
The group Arizona for Abortion Access, responsible for the initiative, announced last week that they have gathered sufficient signatures to qualify the measure for the November ballot.
