ATLANTA (AP) 鈥� Donald Trump said Wednesday that an Arizona law that criminalizes nearly all abortions goes too far and the former president called on Arizona lawmakers to change it, while also defending the overturning of Roe v. Wade that cleared states to ban the procedure.
鈥淚t鈥檒l be straightened out and as you know, it鈥檚 all about states鈥� rights,鈥� Trump told supporters and journalists after landing in Atlanta for a fundraiser. 鈥淚t鈥檒l be straightened out, and I鈥檓 sure that the governor and everybody else are going to bring it back into reason and that鈥檒l be taken care of, I think, very quickly.鈥�
Trump faces political pressure on abortion rights, which Democrats hope will be a defining issue in November's election, after issuing a video statement this week declining to endorse a national abortion ban and saying he believes limits should be left to the states. His earlier statement angered religious conservatives and energized allies of President Joe Biden who see abortion rights as one of Trump鈥檚 weaknesses.
The Arizona Supreme Court ruling on Tuesday that bans abortion at all stages of pregnancy with no exceptions for rape or incest.
Trump maintains he is proud that the three Supreme Court justices he nominated voted to overturn Roe v. Wade, saying states will have different restrictions. He supports three exceptions in cases of rape, incest and when the life of the mother is at risk.
He also spoke about a Florida law that bans abortions after six weeks, saying that 鈥渋s probably maybe going to change also.鈥�
鈥淔or 52 years, people have wanted to end Roe v. Wade, to get it back to the states. We did that. It was an incredible thing, an incredible achievement,鈥� he said. 鈥淣ow the states have it, and the states are putting out what they want. It鈥檚 the will of the people. So Florida is probably going to change.鈥�
Trump ignored questions about how he plans to vote himself on Florida鈥檚 pending state constitutional amendment that would enshrine abortion access as a right of his home state鈥檚 residents. He did not elaborate on what he thinks the level of restrictions and access should be in Arizona or any other state.
Bill Barrow And Adriana Gomez Licon, The Associated Press
