Trump expresses opposition to Florida six-week abortion ban, Vance and campaign clarify

Former President Donald Trump suggested in an interview with NBC News on Thursday that he may support Florida’s Amendment 4, which would add language to the state’s constitution permitting abortions up to the point of viability.
Viability is when a fetus can survive outside the womb, typically around 24 weeks, per the National Library of Medicine.
Last year, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a law banning abortions after six weeks, which Amendment 4 aims to overturn. Trump previously criticized Florida’s six-week ban, calling it a “terrible mistake,” according to The New York Times.
“I think the six week (ban) is too short, there has to be more time,” Trump told NBC News. “I told them I want more weeks.”
While Trump did not explicitly state how he would vote on Amendment 4, he added, “I am going to be voting that we need more than six weeks.”
Since Trump’s comments, his campaign has sought to clarify his stance.
“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,” his campaign said in a statement.
The justices Trump appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court helped tip the balance when the court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. However, Trump now appears to be positioning himself as moderate on the issue.
In addition to his views on Amendment 4, he expressed support for expanding access to in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments.
“Your government will pay for or your insurance company will be mandated to pay for all costs associated with IVF treatment because we want more babies, to put it very nicely,” Trump said, per Politico.
Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign criticized Trump, accusing him of misleading the public about his stance on abortion and IVF.
“Trump lies as much if not more than he breathes, but voters aren’t stupid,” Sarafina Chitika, a spokesperson for Harris’ campaign, said in a statement. “Because Trump overturned Roe v. Wade, IVF is already under attack and women’s freedoms have been ripped away in states across the country.”
When asked by CNN about Trump’s comments, his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, reiterated their campaign’s statement that Trump has not disclosed how he will vote on Amendment 4.
“He’s also said that he wants abortion policy to be made by the states themselves individually, and not by the national government,” Vance added. “I think that’s the most important thing here — that he’s opining on this as a Florida resident, but when it comes to national policy, President Trump has been extremely consistent that he wants abortion policy to be made by the states.”