- The vice presidential candidate said in 2022 that he was “open” to a nationwide ban on abortion
- Democrats warn that a second Trump term would include a national abortion ban
Senator JD Vance appears to have moderated his stance on abortion since joining Donald Trump’s campaign.
The Ohio Republican now says that if Congress were to pass a federal abortion ban, a Trump-Vance administration would be “absolutely committed” to blocking such a bill with a veto.
This is a sharp turnaround from what Vance said just two and a half years ago.
Four months before the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022 and returned abortion laws to the states, the now Republican vice presidential candidate said he was open to a federal regulation.
“I certainly want abortion to be illegal nationwide,” Vance said during a podcast in January 2022 as he ran for his Senate seat.
Senator JD Vance gave his word that if Donald Trump wins in November, he would veto a federal abortion ban if it lands on his desk.
Vance has since moved more towards the center on the issue, telling NBC’s Meet the Press in a pre-recorded interview broadcast Sunday that his party does not want “a continuous conflict at the federal level on this issue.”
At their national convention in Chicago, Illinois, Democrats spent every day last week sharply criticizing Republicans for the Supreme Court ruling and claiming that a Trump presidency would further tighten abortion restrictions.
Last week, Americans spoke on the stage at the United Center, telling horror stories about abortion rights and restrictions.
One woman spoke about having to have an abortion at age 12 after her stepfather raped her. And another couple told the story of how the mother nearly lost her life because her state’s restrictions prevented her from terminating a non-viable pregnancy.
“Senator, can you, sitting here with me, promise that if you and Donald Trump are elected, you will not pass a federal abortion ban?” NBC anchor Kristen Welker asked the vice presidential candidate.
“I can absolutely commit to that, Kristen. Donald Trump has made that as clear as possible.”
He explained: “Donald Trump wants to end this culture war on this particular issue. If California wants to have a different abortion policy than Ohio, then Ohio has to respect California and California has to respect Ohio.”
“If such a bill landed on Donald Trump’s desk, would he veto it?” Welker asked.
“I think so,” the senator replied. “He specifically said he would do that.”
According to Vance, a key reason for leaving abortion to the states is to allow the federal government to focus on larger, existential issues such as inflation, the economy, border security and U.S. involvement in foreign wars.
Democrats believe that if Trump were re-elected, he would impose a nationwide ban on abortion.
Many issues in the United States are handled this way. For example, gun laws and firearm regulations vary from state to state, even though ownership of these weapons is legal at the federal level and even protected by the Constitution.
Since the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision in 2022, the fate of abortion laws is uncertain.
Democrats have since raised alarm over the decision, saying Republicans are using it to push through a nationwide ban that would severely limit the availability of abortion.
Trump has repeatedly stated that he has no plans to impose federal restrictions or regulations on abortion – but Democrats don’t believe him.
And some Republicans, like South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, are pushing for a federal ban and say they would continue to push Trump – or any other Republican administration – to push through laws at the national level.
