Trump says he’ll vote to uphold Florida’s 6-week abortion ban amid conservative backlash

Washington — Former President Donald Trump on Friday said he’ll vote to uphold Florida’s controversial six-week abortion ban a day after he angered abortion opponents by criticizing the law.

“You need more time than six weeks,” the Republican nominee told Fox News. “I’ve disagreed with that right from the early primaries. When I heard about it, I disagreed with it. At the same time, the Democrats are radical because the nine months is just a ridiculous situation. You can do an abortion in the ninth month. You know, some of the states, like Minnesota and other states, have it where you can actually execute the baby after birth, and all of that stuff is unacceptable. So I will be voting no for that reason.” 

Florida banned abortion after six weeks of pregnancy, with some exceptions, after the Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade. A proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot in the state, where Trump is a resident, would effectively undo the ban. 

Democrats generally support reinstating the framework for abortion that existed under Roe v. Wade, which allowed states to restrict abortion after the point of fetal viability, or roughly 24 weeks into pregnancy. The overwhelming number of abortions happen earlier. A 2021 survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 93% of abortions in the U.S. occurred in the first trimester, before the 13th week. Fewer than 1% were performed after 21 weeks.

On Thursday, Trump told NBC News that six weeks “is too short.” He has previously indicated that he might support a 15-week ban. 

“There has to be more time,” he said. “I am going to be voting that we need more than six weeks.” 

He faced swift blowback from abortion opponents after the NBC interview, including from Tony Perkins, the president of the Family Research Council. 

Perkins told CBS News on Friday that “there’s a lot of damage that has been done.” 

Conservative pundit Erick Erickson said Trump’s comments “will be a bridge too far for too many.” 

“If Donald Trump loses, today is the day he lost,” Erickson wrote on social media. 

In a statement, Marjorie Dannenfelser, the president of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, said a potential vote in favor of the amendment “completely undermines” Trump’s previous position. In another statement after he announced his opposition, she thanked him. 

contributed to this report.