Donald Trump called on his religious supporters to go to the polls in a speech to conservative Christian activists on Saturday, but briefly mentioned the politically sensitive issue of abortion, an issue of central importance to the group.
Speaking at an event hosted by the Faith and Freedom Coalition in Washington, the former president reiterated his position that abortion restrictions should be decided by voters state by state.
That stance contradicts the views of most conservative Christians, and Trump’s reluctance to push or even discuss additional federal regulations speaks to how sensitive the issue has become for Republicans.
Trump has repeatedly said that Republicans risk being electorally defeated if they take too strict a line on abortion rights. The party’s disappointing performance in the 2022 midterm elections has been widely attributed to the Supreme Court’s Dobbs ruling that year, which removed most constitutional protections for the procedure.
“We’ve taken abortion out of the federal government and brought it back to the states. The people will decide, and that’s the way it should be,” Trump said.
“Like Ronald Reagan, I believe in exceptions to a mother’s life: rape and incest… You have to go with your heart. You also have to remember that you have to be elected,” Trump said.
Trump’s comments on abortion appeared to receive a lukewarm reception. Some in the crowd broke out into chants of “No dead babies!” while he discussed the topic.
But there was no indication that the strongly pro-Trump audience would support another candidate as the Nov. 5 general election rematch with Democratic President Joe Biden approaches.
Trump received loud applause when he discussed several other proposals, including eliminating the Department of Education, a move favored by many conservative Christians who accuse the federal government of attacking faith-based teaching methods.
