Will state laws protect abortion under a Trump presidency? Probably not

[In It to Win It]

Will state laws protect abortion under a Trump presidency? Probably not

This week, the United States elected Donald Trump to be the country’s 47th president. Despite Trump previously bragging about appointing some of the Supreme Court judges that overturned Roe v. Wade via the Dobbs decision, which led many states nationwide to restrict abortion access, many people who voted for him also voted to expand access to abortion in their respective states. It might be a bit confusing when taking a closer look at this peculiar detail, as Harris made expanding access to abortion a key part of her platform. Trump did not.

“Most of his base believes that Trump will not pass more restrictions on abortion,” Gretchen Borchelt, vice president for reproductive rights and health at the National Women’s Law Center Action Fund, said in a press conference. “That is what they voted for.”

Trump has indeed said he doesn’t support a nationwide abortion ban. At the same time, during the presidential debate with Harris, he declined to say “yes” or “no” when asked whether he'd veto such a ban. Later, on his social media platform, he said that he would veto a federal abortion ban if legislation reached his desk. But Project 2025, which was developed to replace the traditional policy arm for Trump's presidential campaign by the Heritage Foundation, says otherwise.

“There's still every reason to believe that Trump and those he surrounds himself with will attempt to restrict access to abortion and other reproductive health care,” Borchelt said. “It is all laid out in Project 2025, but people are going to be watching.”