Donald Trump predicted the effects of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade on the Republican Party during a Friday campaign stop.
Trump was in South Dakota, having freshly received the endorsement from Gov. Kristi Noem (R-SD) when he discussed abortion at a rally there. While defending restrictions on abortion with exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother, Trump offered a dire assessment of the political cost reining in abortion access might have for the party.
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“Last year, those justices bravely and incredibly ruled on something that everybody has wanted for decades, for 51 years,” Trump said. “They ruled to end Roe v. Wade. That was a big thing. And it’s probably cost us, politically, because the other side got energized. You know, they’re the radicals, not the pro-lifers. But now pro-lifers have a tremendous power to negotiate.”
Per the South Dakota Constitution, abortion is currently banned except in cases of life endangerment. Any person who “performs, procures or advises” an abortion is guilty of a felony, according to the trigger ban that went into effect immediately when the Supreme Court issued its ruling on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.
“But like Ronald Reagan before me, I support the three exceptions — for rape, incest, and life of the mother,” Trump went on. “Not everybody does. I think a large portion do. I think you should, but again, that’s your own, that’s your own feeling.”
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This was Trump’s first visit to South Dakota since 2020. The former president has not publicly named a vice president pick, as his previous choice, Mike Pence, is running against him for the Republican nomination. Noem is speculated to be on Trump’s list of possible vice presidents.
Trump and Pence are facing off against former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, former governor of New Jersey Chris Christie, former Texas representative Will Hurd, Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), Gov. Doug Burgum (R-ND), Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), political commentator Larry Elder, businessman Perry Johnson, and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy in the race to win the GOP presidential nomination.
