Why nobody believes Trump’s flip-flop on abortion and IVF

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On Thursday evening, Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz sat down with CNN for their first TV interview since they became the top of the Democratic ticket. Naturally, Harris faced questions about her shifting stance on fracking, a key industry in the pivotal swing state of Pennsylvania.

The vice president weathered the grilling well, firmly defending her change of heart.

“I made that clear on the debate stage in 2020 that I would not ban fracking, as vice president I did not ban fracking, as president I will not ban fracking,” Harris told CNN anchor Dana Bash. “I’m very clear about where I stand.”

Overall, it was an uncontroversial, do-no-harm interview that made little news — which is exactly what Harris needed.

The same cannot be said of Donald Trump. On Thursday, at a rally in Potterville, Michigan, the former president — who’s been under fire for his party’s attacks on abortions rights — made a surprising pledge to force insurance companies to pay for in vitro fertilization. Democrats have repeatedly hammered Republicans on IVF since Alabama’s supreme court briefly put the treatment on hold in the state.

Earlier in the day, a reporter for NBC News asked Trump — who has also been all over the place on abortion issues — how he would vote on Florida’s upcoming amendment that would enshrine abortion rights. He responded by saying the state’s six-week ban is “too short” and that “there has to be more time.”

“I am going to be voting that we need more than six weeks,” he said. Trump’s campaign spokeswoman, Karoline Leavitt, quickly went into clean-up mode.

“President Trump has not yet said how he will vote on the ballot initiative in Florida, he simply reiterated that he believes six weeks is too short,” she said in a statement.

Trump’s comments weren’t well received by some of the anti-abortion activists who are among his supporters. Kristan Hawkins, the president of Students for Life America, blasted his take on X.

“So, President Trump clearly doesn’t want to be pro-life anymore,” she posted. “Got it. Pro-lifers are being screwed. We need to demand Trump re-consider.”

“But don’t let this screw the babies we are fighting for,” she warned. “Vote against Kamala Harris.”

Marjorie Dannenfelser, the president of the Susan B Anthony Pro-Life America, said that when she spoke with Trump directly, he did not commit to how he would vote on the Trump amendment.

“President Trump has consistently opposed abortions after five months of pregnancy,” she said. “Amendment 4 would allow abortion past this point. Voting for Amendment 4 completely undermines his position.”

By Thursday, Trump told Fox News that he would vote against the amendment in Florida, accusing Democrats of wanting to allow abortion up until the ninth month of pregnancy.

“All of that stuff is unacceptable so I will be voting no for that reason,” he said.

Trump’s running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, a fierce abortion opponent, suddenly had audio issues when CNN asked him about Trump’s position on abortion on Friday, which led to the channel cutting to a break.

Meanwhile, Democrats aren’t getting too excited about Trump’s vague IVF promises.

“There is nothing in what Trump says that actually reverses the underlying policy,” Senator Elizabeth Warren said on a press call. “Nowhere do Trump and Vance stand up and say they will support a federal law to protect access to IVF.”

She pointed out that Vance had voted against Senate legislation that would have protected access to IVF.

Trump’s comments don’t hold much water with Democrats, who believe little of what he says in terms of abortion protections since he’s continuously bragged about being the person who killed Roe v Wade, namely through nominating three Supreme Court justices who created the 6-3 majority that facilitated the Dobbs v Jackson decision.

Even during the one debate between Trump and President Joe Biden, Trump bragged about killing Roe. Many of the abortion bans in red states only exist because of the Dobbs decision.

That makes his backpedalling on abortion even more bitter for social conservatives who trusted him on the issue. Trump, a thrice-married former casino owner, seemed like an imperfect vessel to usher in their plans. Now, he seems almost ashamed about his accomplishments as he recognizes that abortion is a political loser for Republicans, even in his adopted home state of Florida.

The relationship between evangelicals and anti-abortion Republicans always resembled that of a shotgun wedding. Now, evangelicals are just the latest partner Trump is accused of cheating on.

-Alex Woodward contributed reporting