On Thursday, Melania Trump expressed her differing viewpoint from her husband regarding abortion rights access.
In a promotional video for her forthcoming book, she asserted that women’s “personal freedom is a fundamental right that I protect,” despite Donald Trump emphasizing his part in reversing Roe v. Wade.
“Clearly, there is no room for compromise concerning this critical right every woman is entitled to from birth. Individual freedom,” stated Melania Trump. “What does ‘My body, my choice’ truly signify?”
According to The Guardian, which obtained an advance copy, Melania Trump’s book, set to release on Tuesday, elaborates significantly on her stance regarding the necessity of preserving legal access to abortion.
“Who other than the woman herself should hold the power to decide what she does with her own body?” states Melania Trump in the book, according to the Guardian. “A woman’s essential right to individual liberty over her life grants her the power to terminate her pregnancy if she chooses.”
Her remarks advocating for abortion rights — surfacing just one month ahead of Election Day — reinserts a topic into the political debate that Republicans have generally preferred to sidestep, opting to concentrate on issues such as the economy and immigration during President Joe Biden’s term.
While the former president has criticized states with stringent abortion laws, he has asserted that states should determine their own abortion regulations — and the 2022 Supreme Court ruling he has boasted about has led some states to impose total abortion bans.
Recently, after months of avoiding his voting position on a Florida referendum set for this month that seeks to expand abortion access beyond the current six-week limit, Trump satisfied anti-abortion leaders by declaring he would oppose the proposal. However, he has consistently shown hesitation when discussing the topic, often evading questions about potential vetoes on federal restrictions, before unexpectedly declaring on Truth Social during Tuesday’s vice presidential debate that he would veto a national ban.
Sarafina Chitika, a spokesperson for Kamala Harris’ campaign, remarked that “Sadly for women across America, Mrs. Trump’s husband fervently disagrees with her and is responsible for the fact that over one-third of American women are living under a Trump Abortion Ban that jeopardizes their health, freedom, and lives.” She stressed that if Trump were to win, “he will enforce a nationwide abortion ban, penalize women, and obstruct access to reproductive healthcare.”
Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt responded. “The Harris campaign is fabricating untruths, once more, because they are losing.”
“President Trump has communicated his position clearly: he will NOT endorse a federal abortion ban if re-elected,” Leavitt further asserted. “He firmly believes that abortion is an issue which should be addressed at the state level.”
The Trump campaign has yet to address the former first lady’s views on abortion.
Abortion remains a challenging political issue for Republicans, especially in the two years following the reversal of Roe v. Wade. States that have placed the matter on the ballot have witnessed abortion rights advocates consistently emerge victorious against those opposing access to abortion, even in typically conservative regions.
In another excerpt from her new book acquired by The Guardian, Melania Trump mentioned that she encouraged her husband to cease the administration’s policy of separating children from their families upon illegal entry at the southern border.
“While I advocate for secure borders, what was happening at the border was intolerable. I promptly conveyed my serious concerns to Donald about the family separations, stressing the lasting trauma it was inflicting on these families,” she articulated. “As a mother, I relayed with utmost clarity … ‘The government should not be removing children from their parents.’ I was explicit … ‘This must come to an end.’
She added that the policy was modified shortly after her intervention.
How the 2024 U.S. Election Will Impact the Job Market: A Forecast for American Workers
“`
