Former President Donald J. Trump weighed in on the Supreme Court’s landmark decision on Friday to overturn Roe v. Wade, saying that he believes it “will work out for everybody” as the issue of abortion is handed back down to the states.
Trump spoke with Fox News in an exclusive interview, telling the outlet, “This is following the Constitution, and giving rights back when they should have been given long ago.”
When Fox News asked Trump whether or not he felt he played any role in the decision through his appointments to the Supreme Court, Trump responded, “God made the decision.”
As a candidate in 2016, Trump promised that he would appoint pro-life justices to the Supreme Court.
“I am pro-life,” Trump said during a presidential debate against pro-abortion candidate Hillary Clinton when asked about Roe v. Wade.
Then-candidate Trump added that he believed Roe would be overturned “automatically” because he would appoint several justices to SCOTUS.
During his time in office, Trump appointed Justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett to the High Court. These appointments shifted the ideological make-up of the court to be more conservative-leaning. All three justices joined the majority opinion in overturning Roe.
In reaction to the court’s decision, The Daily Wire’s Michael Knowles observed, “Donald Trump’s victory in 2016 ended the constitutional ‘right’ to abortion. He has secured his place as one of the greatest and most consequential presidents in American history.”
Donald Trump’s victory in 2016 ended the constitutional “right” to abortion. He has secured his place as one of the greatest and most consequential presidents in American history.
— Michael Knowles (@michaeljknowles) June 24, 2022
The Daily Wire’s Co-CEO Jeremy Boreing tweeted, “Donald Trump managed to get Roe v Wade overturned. There is a God, and He is confusing.”
Donald Trump managed to get Roe v Wade overturned. There is a God, and He is confusing.
— Jeremy Boreing (@JeremyDBoreing) June 24, 2022
Daily Wire Editor Emeritus Ben Shapiro added, “Hundreds of thousands of children will now live who would otherwise have been killed in the womb. This is a victory for all human beings, who are created in the image of God.”
Several other pro-life leaders, such as Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser also praised the day as historic.
“Today marks an historic human rights victory for unborn children and their mothers and a bright pro-life future for our nation,” she said. “Today the Supreme Court, in line with modern science and overwhelming public consensus, recognized the truth in every mother’s heart and that pro-life advocates have argued all along: unborn children are human beings, deserving of protection.”
She also said now was the time to go on offense.
“An entirely new pro-life movement begins today. We are ready to go on offense for life in every single one of those legislative bodies, in each statehouse and the White House. Over the next few years we will have the opportunity to save hundreds of thousands, even millions of lives by limiting the horror of abortion in many states,” Dannenfelser said.
Throughout his presidency, Trump regularly spoke out on behalf of the pro-life cause. In his 2019 State of the Union address, the president excoriated states with extreme pro-choice laws.
“Lawmakers in New York cheered with delight upon the passage of legislation that would allow a baby to be ripped from the mother’s womb moments before birth,” Trump said at the time. “These are living, feeling, beautiful babies who will never get the chance to share their love and dreams with the world.”
“And then, we had the case of the governor of Virginia where he basically stated he would execute a baby after birth,” the president added in reference to former Virginia Governor Ralph Northam. “All children – born and unborn – are made in the holy image of God.”