Former President Donald Trump responded to Lindsey Graham after the South Carolina senator took issue with Trump's stance in favor of abortion being a states' rights issue.
On Sunday evening, Trump shared a post to Truth Social announcing he would soon release an official statement on "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.
Trump elaborated on his stance in a video shared to his account Monday morning.
Later Monday, Graham released a statement in disagreement with Trump's remarks on abortion and expressed interest in a 15-week federal abortion ban.
"Senator Lindsey Graham and Marjorie Dannenfelser should study the 10th Amendment and States' Rights," Trump wrote of Graham and Dannenfelser, the president of SBA Pro-Life America, who similarly expressed interest in a 15-week federal abortion ban.
"When they do, they should proudly get on with helping Republicans to WIN ELECTIONS rather than making it impossible for them to do so!" Trump added.
In another post, Trump claimed Graham was only re-elected because of the former president's endorsement.
"Sending the issue back to the states was the policy of the Republican Party and conservatives for over 50 years, due to states' rights and 10th Amendment, and only happened because of justices I proudly nominated and got confirmed," he continued in another post.
Trump went on to claim Graham was "doing a great disservice" to the Republican Party and United States overall.
"At first he wanted no abortions under any circumstances," Trump wrote of Graham. "Then he was up to 6 weeks where you're allowed abortion."
"Now he’s up to 15 weeks, where you’re allowed Abortion, but what he doesn’t understand, or perhaps he does, is the Radical Left Democrats, who are destroying our Country, will never approve anything that he or the Republicans want," Trump continued. "They love this Issue, and they want to keep it going for as long as Republicans will allow them to do so."
His post continued:Terminating Roe v. Wade was, according to all Legal Scholars, a Great Event, but sometimes with Great Events come difficulties. Many Good Republicans lost Elections because of this Issue, and people like Lindsey Graham, that are unrelenting, are handing Democrats their dream of the House, Senate, and perhaps even the Presidency by allowing the States to make their decision, and hoping that most Republicans running for Office will have the sense, although they must always follow their heart, to require the EXCEPTIONS for Rape, Incest, and Life of the Mother, we have taken the Abortion Issue largely out of play. When the Supreme Court had the courage to do the right thing LEGALLY, and terminate Roe v. Wade, all of those people, including Lindsey Graham and Marjorie Dannenfelser of Susan B. Anthony that were “hardliners”, one day after the Victory, were gone and of absolutely no help, as the Democrats staged rallies and won Elections they should never have won. Lindsey, Marjorie, and others fought for years, unsuccessfully, until I came along and got the job done. Then they were gone, never to be heard from again, until now.
"We cannot let our Country suffer any further damage by losing Elections on an issue that should always have been decided by the States, and now will be!" Trump added.
In another post, Trump encouraged Republicans to be "smart" and not allow themselves to become distracted.
"We've had a great victory, and now we're going to have the greatest victory of all, the presidential election of 2024!" Trump wrote.
Later, Trump continued his response to Graham in another post.
"Senator Lindsey Graham should spend more time focusing on all of the many people being killed because of our now non-existent Border, and the millions of people dying in senseless, never-ending Wars that he constantly favors and promotes, and should spend less time on taking away our Great Roe v. Wade Victory of sending a complicated and controversial Issue back to the States where, according to Highly Respected Legal Scholars on both sides, it belongs," Trump wrote. "The Democrats are thrilled with Lindsey, because they want this Issue to simmer for as long a period of time as possible."
"They are destroying our Country, and they don’t want to talk about Inflation, a Bad Economy, the Horrible Open Border, Rigged Elections, Afghanistan, Ukraine/Russia, or the Attack on Israel, all of which would never have happened if I were President. Great job Lindsey!" Trump concluded.
Trump concluded his response in a final post, noting Graham and Dannenfelser began advocating for a complete federal abortion ban after the Supreme Court of the United States overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.
"Marjorie Dannenfelser of SBA, and Lindsey Graham, started saying, 'No, let’s go back to the Federal Government with 0 weeks,' and when they got nowhere, they upped it to 6 week[s], and more recently they upped it to 15 weeks, and were obviously willing to take the number UPWARD, UPWARD, UPWARD" Trump wrote. "They were getting nowhere with the Democrats, and they never will, because the Democrats would never give up on this Issue no matter how many weeks the Republicans went - even if they went, 'Unlimited Abortion!' We had a Great Victory, it’s back in the States where it belongs, and where everyone wanted it. The States will be making the decision."
"Republicans are now free to run for Office based on the Horrible Border, Inflation, Bad Economy, and the Death & Destruction of our Country!" he concluded.
