Donald Trump is hardly a shrinking violet when it comes to stating positions on the major issues of the day. Indeed, it’s not unusual for the former president to make bold declarations on issues he doesn’t know anything about.
But ask the Republican about his plans for abortion rights in a second term, and you’ll struggle to hear anything resembling a straight answer. Trump routinely takes credit for the demise of Roe v. Wade — a position voters will be hearing a lot more about in the fall — but he won’t publicly discuss his intentions for the future.
Six months ago, the likely GOP nominee said he’d somehow figure out a way to make “both sides“ happy with a compromise solution, but he didn’t identify what it might entail. Evidently, however, he has a relatively specific plan in mind. The New York Times reported:
Former President Donald J. Trump has told advisers and allies that he likes the idea of a 16-week national abortion ban with three exceptions, in cases of rape or incest, or to save the life of the mother, according to two people with direct knowledge of Mr. Trump’s deliberations.
NBC News has confirmed the reporting that the Republican privately supports a 16-week national abortion ban.
His campaign issued a press release soon after, which made no effort to deny the accuracy of the reporting. The statement did, however, credit Trump with overturning the Roe precedent, which, according to the press release, “sent the decision back to the states.”
Strictly speaking, that’s not quite right: When Republican-appointed Supreme Court justices struck down Roe, they also opened the door for Congress to impose a national abortion ban.
And therein lies the point: Trump apparently intends to make “both sides” happy with a compromise solution in the form of a national abortion ban — which, the last time I checked, is the goal of only one of the two sides.
But there was something else about this story that stood out for me: the former president’s 16-week target.
For those familiar with the details of the fight over reproductive rights, certain numbers become commonplace. Republican officials in some states have imposed six-week abortion bans. Others have created 12-week bans. We’ve also seen GOP officials approve 15-week, 18-week, and 22-week bans.








