This morning Donald Trump announced that abortion was a decision best left up to the people in the states. Watch:
Two quick thoughts:
- Trump is suggesting that he is pro-life, but will leave the legality of abortion up to the people of the states to decide. He believes people should be allowed to “follow their heart” on this issue. For the Trump campaign, democracy “trumps” morality. This is not unlike Northern Democrats in the 1850s (I’m thinking of Stephen Douglass) who opposed slavery, but wanted to leave this moral problem to the popular sovereignty of the people in the states.
- Trump also believes that “winning the election” is more important than the moral problem of abortion. He is banking on the fact that pro-lifers will still vote for him because Biden is worse.
The Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America came out quickly this morning with this:
“We are deeply disappointed in President Trump’s position. Unborn children and their mothers deserve national protections and national advocacy from the brutality of the abortion industry. The Dobbs decision clearly allows both states and Congress to act.
“Saying the issue is ‘back to the states’ cedes the national debate to the Democrats who are working relentlessly to enact legislation mandating abortion throughout all nine months of pregnancy. If successful, they will wipe out states’ rights.
“With lives on the line, SBA Pro-Life America and the pro-life grassroots will work tirelessly to defeat President Biden and extreme congressional Democrats.”
Meanwhile, National Right to Life, in it’s response to Trump’s statement, chose to ignore Trump’s views and focus on how the former president is a better option than Biden on abortion. Read it here. This is exactly the kind of response that the Trump campaign was hoping for.
So what are evangelicals saying about this? This seems like a pivotal moment for conservative born-again Christians. Will they oppose Trump and abortion and stay home in 2024? Will they oppose Trump on abortion and still vote for him because Biden is worse? Will they just remain silent and sit on their hands as Trump’s campaign takes a pro-choice turn?
Here is what we found on X. I looked at the accounts of people who tweet regularly on social and cultural issues. Many of these folks tweet whenever they are outraged by Democratic social positions such as Biden’s recent “Transgender Visibility Day” announcement. It is worth noting how many of them are silent today–no outrage.
Here you go:
Jenna Ellis, Trump’s former election fraud lawyer who pleaded guilty in the Georgia case and backed Ron DeSantis in the 2024 GOP primaries, wants everyone to know that “Trump isn’t my standard”:
And here:
An evangelical radio host in Iowa:
Liberty University’s Standing for Freedom Center: SILENT
Ralph Reed’s Faith and Freedom Coalition: SILENT
Lance Wallnau: SILENT
Trump’s announcement does not appear to have phased Charlie Kirk and Turning Point USA. Today Kirk posted this:
Trump-loving Kirk thinks Trump’s statement showed “moral clarity”:
David Brody of the Christian Broadcast Network: SILENT
Samuel Rodriguez, court evangelical and spokesperson for Hispanic evangelicals: SILENT
David Barton of Wallbuilders: SILENT
Jack Hibbs: SILENT
Eric Metaxas: SILENT
Robert Jeffress: SILENT
Ralph Reed: SILENT
2016 Trump PR guy Johnnie Moore: SILENT
Gary Bauer: SILENT
In Tony Perkins’s statement on Trump’s abortion statement he hardly says a word about Trump’s statement:
Former President Trump has played a vital role in bringing our nation to this pivotal point of being able to restore the fundamental right to life in America. I applaud President Trump for the work he has done, but that work is not over. As President Trump accurately states, America is on the brink. To restore our nation to a place of political greatness, we must first restore our moral goodness, and foundational to that is the respect for and protection of all human life. After fifty years of spiritual, cultural, and political engagement, we thankfully reached a point where Roe v. Wade was sent to the dustbin of history, but the effort to restore the inalienable right to life is far from over as we continue working to protect children from the moment of conception. The legal authority to protect this fundamental right to life has not only been restored to the states but also to policymakers at the federal level, where broad support exists to not force taxpayers to pay for abortion. The federal government should not be funding the facilitation of abortion in any form or fashion—at home or abroad. We look forward to President Trump reversing the horrific policies of the Biden administration that brutalize unborn children and their mothers, as well as hamstring the ability of both state and federal legislators to protect life. As voters continue to elect pro-life legislators at both the state and federal levels, pro-life policies should be pursued at every level of government until every child, born and unborn, is welcomed into this nation and protected under our laws, federal and state. The effort to protect innocent life is crucial as we work toward a day when we will once again see the spiritual walls of our nation stand high and secure.
Paula White-Cain: SILENT
Jack Graham: SILENT
Jentezen Franklin: SILENT
James Dobson: SILENT
Franklin Graham: SILENT
Albert Mohler: SILENT
Mike Huckabee: SILENT
Southern Baptist pastor Tom Ascol:
Owen Strachan: SILENT
Southern Baptist theobro Denny Burk:
Another theobro:
Ed Stetzer:
Russell Moore: SILENT
Worship leader Sean Feucht does not seem happy with Trump:
Southern Baptist pastor Tom Buck:
Jonathan Falwell was very upset with Biden last week, but he is SILENT today:
UPDATE: April 9, 2004 (11:00am):
Mike Pence: “President Trump’s retreat on the Right to Life is a slap in the face to the millions of pro-life Americans who voted for him in 2016 and 2020. By nominating and standing by the confirmation of conservative justices, the Trump-Pence Administration helped send Roe v. Wade to the ash heap of history where it belongs and gave the pro-life movement the opportunity to compassionately support women and unborn children. In the landmark Dobbs decision, the Supreme Court returned the question of abortion to the states and the American people. The American people elect presidents, senators and congressmen, and a majority of Americans long to see minimum national protections for the unborn in federal law. But today, too many Republican politicians are all too ready to wash their hands of the battle for life. Republicans win on life when we speak the truth boldly and stand on the principle that we all know to be true – human life begins at conception and should be defended from womb to tomb. However much our Republican nominee or other candidates seek to marginalize the cause of life, I know pro-life Americans will never relent until we see the sanctity of life restored to the center of American law in every state in this country.”
Allie Beth Stuckey: “Pro-life evangelicals make a huge voting block, yet we’ve got exactly 0 presidential candidates vying for our vote. RFK picked a far-left social justice activist, and Donald Trump’s out here reminding those to the left of us that he’s a squish on abortion. Trump’s statement was a signal to the left that threw truly pro-life Christians under the bus. The cheering of IVF, support of nonsensical abortion exceptions, and his “will of the people” repetition are all ways to convey the message, “See? I’m not like those radicals to the right of me! I’m moderate! Sane! Compassionate! Pro-democracy!” He’s been successfully empathy-shamed by the left and still thinks somehow that he’s going to convince some of them to vote for him. It is what it is. Trump is currently the most pro-life candidate of the bunch. It’s just downright sad.”
Kevin Sorbo:
Megan Basham of the Daily Caller:
Liberty University Standing for Freedom Center: Still SILENT
Ralph Reed’s Faith and Freedom Coalition: Still SILENT
Lance Wallnau: Still SILENT
South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham disagrees with Trump’s decision to leave abortion to the states. Charlie Kirk is defending Trump against Graham:
David Brody weighs in:
Jack Hibbs: Still SILENT
Eric Metaxas: Still SILENT (But he is posting about vaccines).
Robert Jeffress: Still SILENT
Tony Perkins praises Trump, but disagrees with him about a national role:
Jack Graham: Still SILENT
James Dobson: Still SILENT
Franklin Graham: Still SILENT
Albert Mohler: “The threat of losing an election does not justify an immoral position: Former President Trump reveals political expediency position on abortion.” More here.
Mike Huckabee: Still SILENT
More from Tom Buck:
I appreciate this round-up. I wish someone would call out the craven and stupid claim Trump makes about women killing their babies post-birth, after the ninth month. Does anyone *really* believe that?