Donald Trump, stinging a rebuke by the nation’s leading anti-abortion group, used a speech Saturday before influential evangelicals in Iowa to highlight his actions as president to try to restrict abortion rights.
Chief among the achievements Mr Trump listed was his nomination of three conservative justices to the US Supreme Court. The appointments paved the way for the landmark row overturned last year. V. Wade ruling, which affirmed the federal right to abortion.
“Those judges scored a historic victory to protect innocent lives. No one thought this was going to happen,” Mr. Trump said via video at a gathering of the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition. “They thought That it would be another 50 years. Because the Republicans were trying to do it for exactly that term, 50 years.”
Mr Trump has often avoided talking about abortion as he campaigns for the White House again, sidestepping the issue less than a year after the court overturned Roe.
But her position that abortion restrictions should be left to the states, not the federal government, drew a sharp rebuke Thursday from the Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America group, which called it “morally precarious for a self-proclaimed supporter.” situation” said. – Presidential candidate for life.”
Mr. Trump took no position Saturday on the national ban. Instead, he ticked through a record as president that aimed to satisfy abortion opponents who are the core of evangelical Christians, the GOP primary contest, and especially Iowa’s first-in-the-nation Republican caucus. I hold sway.
Mr Trump drew applause considering he was the first sitting president to participate in the annual March for Life anti-abortion rally.
Similarly, a crowd of about 1,000 gathered at a suburban Des Moines event hall when Mr. Trump mentioned moving the US embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a symbol seen by many evangelical Christians as the fulfillment of Bible prophecy. Let’s see in
“Whatever I promised you as a candidate, I have fulfilled as president,” he said.
Mr Trump’s former vice president Mike Pence, who appeared in person before the group, used his speech at the evening to celebrate Mr Trump’s efforts to ban abortion and take some of the credit for himself.
Mr Pence, who has long been known for his conservative values, called the appointments “the most important” achievements of the Trump administration, drawing loud applause and applause from the crowd.
“We did that, Iowa,” he said. “I couldn’t be more proud to be a small part of an administration that has done just that.”
The Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition’s annual spring fundraiser marks the unofficial start of the state’s 2024 caucus campaign. The event featured a slate of Republican candidates and potential contenders, including US Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, who is expected to enter the race.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, considered Mr. Trump’s top rival, did not attend.
The event gives the presidential hopefuls an opportunity to make their pitch to evangelicals in a state where Republicans will lock down the nomination process next year. It is also a shot at making an impact on activists who may be open to alternatives to Mr. Trump at a time when he is embroiled in legal problems and most recently charged in New York in a hush money scheme involving a porn actor. it was done.
The gathering comes as the Conservatives re-emerged as a key issue in the polls after the Conservatives achieved their long-desired goal of overturning Roe last year. V. Wade rule.
The Republican presidential field is trying to handle how far to go in supporting restrictions on the procedure to satisfy the conservative base in the primary, but not to alienate general election voters, most of whom support abortion. Support legal retention.
Susan b. Anthony Pro-Life America has said it will not support any White House candidate who does not support a federal abortion ban of at least 15 weeks.
Distancing himself from Mr. Trump, Mr. Pence told reporters earlier Saturday during a stop in Jefferson, Iowa, that the Supreme Court ruling does not prevent federal sanctions.
“I certainly would support efforts to limit support for the unborn even at the national level,” Mr Pence said, adding he would support a “minimum 15-week ban”.
Mr Pence’s advocacy group has pressed Congress to pass legislation including a national abortion ban starting at about six weeks.
Despite the credit Mr. Trump received for his judicial nomination, he was criticized after last year’s polls for saying that the Republican’s poor showing was due to abortion opponents’ opposition to exceptions for women who have been raped or murdered. had become pregnant by incest or whose life was in danger.
All Republicans running or leading the way to run have supported state restrictions on abortion. Most have been more cautious about the situation on the nationwide ban.
Mr Scott has said he would support a federal law to ban abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
The senator has called for uniting the country around Christianity and on Saturday spoke about the religion’s values being embedded in America’s foundation.
“If you believe, as I do, that America should celebrate our Founding Fathers and not denigrate them, then let me hear you say ‘Amen,'” Mr. Scott said in a call-and-response with the audience. shouted at the beginning of.
He, along with Mr. Pence, regularly visited with evangelical pastors during his early visits to Iowa, aiming to build rapport with pastors who could be influential among politically active social conservatives in their churches.
Also appearing Saturday night were Vivek Ramaswamy, former Gov. Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas, radio host Larry Elder, former Representative Will Hurd of Texas, former Democratic Representative Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii and former Michigan gubernatorial candidate Perry Johnson.
In his closing remarks, Mr. Johnson referenced the absence of Florida’s governor from the event.
“I think DeSantis is making a huge mistake not being here,” Mr. Johnson said. “But to each his own.”