In a video released on Monday afternoon, Donald Trump shared his views on abortion.
His stance was eagerly awaited, as the issue has emerged as a major topic ahead of the presidential elections this coming November.
Most of his supporters expected him to advocate for a blanket ban at the federal level.
They wanted to hear promises that would make abortions illegal from the early days of pregnancy and calls for the prosecution of doctors and clinics performing such procedures.
Instead, the former American president opted for a more moderate approach, stating that states should regulate the issue, as is the case today.
He urged voters to “follow their hearts.” He walked a fine line following the decision of the Supreme Court, which overturned the federal Roe vs. Wade law and shifted responsibility for the abortion issue to the state level.
In other words, don’t pin me down; do whatever you want.
Trump’s lukewarm stance is easy to explain. Abortion is one of the issues that will define the electoral battle at both the national and state levels.
At the same time, however, it is a divisive issue within the Republican Party.
Clearly, a blanket ban would satisfy Trump’s deeply conservative voters, but it could risk losing the more moderate ones.
So, by keeping both ends of the stick and the loaf of bread intact, he deflects responsibility onto the voters themselves and aims to please all sides.
It’s possible that moderates will be satisfied with the former president’s ambiguous statements.
However, it is doubtful whether the same will be true for conservatives and the evangelical right, who already express disappointment with him.
Things are not easy at all, as shown by the victory of a Democratic candidate for the local council in Alabama last January.
In this conservative state, which has even put a stop to ectopic pregnancies, Marilyn Lantz won a seat by focusing her campaign on protecting women’s abortion rights.
This is a risky move, especially considering that the issue of abortion is one of the few that strengthens the Democrats.
Therefore, it is not certain that he will remain “moderate” until the end. If he sees that his conservative voters are abandoning him, he might turn around and tell them what they want to hear.
