FIRST ON FOX: Former President Trump’s shifting stance on some of his abortion policies to attract independents and some disillusioned Democrats could alienate those who helped get him elected in 2016 – his pro-life base. But his growing support from middle-of-the-road voters could make up for it.
“No one owns the pro-life vote,” leading pro-life organization Live Action founder Lila Rose told Fox News Digital in an interview Tuesday. “It has to be earned.”
Rose stirred controversy on X, formerly Twitter, Monday by reposting a clip from Sen. JD Vance’s recent “Meet the Press” interview, where he pledged that a Trump-Vance administration would likely veto a federal abortion ban.
“If you don’t stand for pro-life principles, you don’t get pro-life votes,” Rose said in the post.
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When asked about the post, Rose said that as of now, Trump doesn’t have her vote – and he could be at risk of alienating others in the pro-life movement. She said she hopes she will be able to vote for him come November.
“We’re over two months out of this election, and Trump has changed his position in the past, as everyone knows, and I think that he’s changing it now to support abortion,” Rose said. “Thankfully, the election is not today, and he has two months to change his tune.”
“I hope that Trump changes course,” Rose said. “I think it’s politically foolish and morally wrong what he’s doing. I think he’s not winning any pro-abortion people to his side. Kamala Harris spent an entire week at the DNC cheerleading for the abortion industry to shore up her base, and then President Trump comes out and throws his base under the bus and tries to cheerlead for Kamala’s base.”
REP. MAXINE WATERS DODGES QUESTION ON CONTROVERSIAL ABORTION PROCEDURE
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and former President Trump shake hands during a campaign rally at Desert Diamond Arena on Aug. 23, 2024, in Glendale, Arizona. (Rebecca Noble/Getty Images)
This election cycle, Trump has countered Democratic attacks by stating he would leave abortion access to the states, as determined by the overturning of Roe v. Wade, and opposes a federal abortion ban. The Republican Party also abandoned its long-standing position of advocating for abortion limits in July. However, Trump has remained opposed to late-term abortions.
“President Trump has long been consistent in supporting the rights of states to make decisions on abortion and has been very clear that he will NOT sign a federal ban when he is back in the White House,” Trump-Vance campaign press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Digital in a statement. “President Trump also supports universal access to contraception and IVF. Contrarily, Kamala Harris and the Democrats are radically out of touch with the majority of Americans in their support for abortion up until birth and forcing taxpayers to fund it.”
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Former President Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris (Getty Images)
But Rose says the opposition to not supporting a federal ban is precisely the problem, because “the whole point of the pro-life movement politically, is to restrict abortion to save human lives.”
“Increasingly, his platform and his rhetoric is pro-abortion and that should disturb and concern the pro-life movement as it is,” she said.
To earn her vote, she said, Trump would need to champion pro-life laws and oppose Amendment Four – the right to abortion initiative – in Florida.
On Friday, Trump also upset anti-abortion activists when he posted on his Truth Social platform, “My Administration will be great for women and their reproductive rights.” He has also indicated he would not restrict access to abortion prescriptions.
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Meanwhile, Trump continues to make gains with independents and former Democrats. On Sunday, former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. endorsed Trump, and a day later, former Democratic Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard also endorsed the former president. Both politicians are now signed on to Trump’s “transition team,” according to the campaign.