South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham came out against former President Donald Trump's Sunday announcement regarding his position on abortion.
On Sunday evening, Trump shared a post to Truth Social announcing he would soon release an official statement on abortion and "abortion rights," noting he, like Ronald Reagan, believed in exceptions for abortion in the cases of rape, incest, and when giving birth posed a threat to the life of the mother.
"I respectfully disagree with President Trump's statement that abortion is a states' rights issue," Graham wrote Monday morning. "Dobbs does not require that conclusion legally and the pro-life movement has always been about the wellbeing of the unborn child — not geography."
Graham said the current standing of abortion in the United States contrasted the "American consensus" in opposition to late-term abortions, adding it would "age as well as the Dred Scott decision."
"The science is clear — a child at fifteen weeks is well-developed and is capable of feeling pain," Graham added.
"I will continue to advocate that there should be a national minimum standard limiting abortion at fifteen weeks because the child is capable of feeling pain," Graham added, though similarly conceded exceptions for "rape, incest, and life of the mother."
Graham said until the country could employ a federal minimum standard for abortions, he supported the provision of anesthesia for unborn children facing abortion.
"I will be introducing new legislation requiring abortion providers to administer anesthesia to an unborn child at fifteen weeks because they are capable of feeling pain," Graham continued. "It is common medical practice to administer anesthesia to operate on an unborn child at fifteen weeks to save their life."
"Forty-seven of fifty European nations have national limits on abortion between twelve and fifteen weeks," Graham concluded. "This is the civilized world's position."
On Sunday, Trump said Republicans and others must "follow their hearts and minds," though referenced President Reagan's similar stance on abortion.
"Great love and compassion must be shown when even thinking about the subject of LIFE," Trump wrote.
"But at the same time we must use common sense in realizing that we have an obligation to the salvation of our Nation, which is currently in serious DECLINE, TO WIN ELECTIONS, without which we will have nothing other than failure, death, and destruction," Trump added. "We will not let that happen. We will, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"
On Monday morning, Trump released a video further discussing his abortion stance.
“My view is now that we have abortion where everybody wanted it from a legal standpoint, the states will determine by vote or legislation or perhaps both,” Trump said of the Supreme Court of the United States' 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. “And whatever they decide must be the law of the land and, in this case, the law of the state.”
Trump noted per American federalism, states would employ different laws and standards regarding abortion regulation.
“Many will have a different number of weeks or some will have more conservative [laws] than others and that’s what they will be,” Trump said. “At the end of the day, this is all about the will of the people. You must follow your heart, or in many cases, your religion or your faith. Do what’s right for your family and do what’s right for yourself, do what’s right for your children, do what’s right for our country and vote. So important to vote.”
“At the end of the day, it’s all about will of the people,” he added. “That’s where we are right now and that’s what we want: will of the people.”
