Here's How Kamala Harris Explained Donald Trump's Stance on Abortion at DNC

On the last day of the Democratic National Convention, held at the United Center in Chicago on Thursday, Vice President Kamala Harris became the first-ever Black and Asian American woman to be nominated for president. Harris outlined her vision through a fiery speech. She said, "I will be a president who unites us around our highest aspirations. A president who leads and listens, who is realistic, practical, and has common sense, and always fights for the American people. From the courthouse to the White House, that has been my life’s work." In her 35-minute speech, she harshly lambasted former president Donald Trump and his views on abortion rights. “Donald Trump hand-picked members of the United States Supreme Court to take away reproductive freedom, and now he brags about it,” she began.

“This is what is happening in our country because of Trump,” Harris continued, according to Jezebel. “And understand, he is not done. As a part of his agenda, he and his allies would limit access to birth control, ban medication abortion, and enact a nationwide abortion ban— with or without Congress (alluding to Project 2025— a blueprint outlining a scheme to have the Trump administration implement the Comstock Act— an 1873 law that forbids the mail delivery of medications and devices that cause abortions.)

“And get this, He plans to create a national anti-abortion coordinator and force states to report on women’s miscarriages and abortions,” Harris claimed. “Simply put, they are out of their minds. One must ask— why exactly is it that they don’t trust women? Well, we trust women.” Trump promptly responded to Harris' denunciation. "My administration will be great for women and their reproductive rights," he penned on Truth Social, slamming her DNC speech. 

In a 1999 interview with NBC News, Trump discussed his views on abortion. He stated, “I am very pro-choice. I hate the concept of abortion. I just believe in choice." When questioned if he would outlaw abortion in general, including 'partial-birth' abortion, Trump responded, “No. I am pro-choice in every aspect as far as it goes. But I just hate it.” During a 2015 interview with CNN, the Republican leader further opined, “I would look at the good aspects of it, and I would also look because I’m sure they do some things properly and good...good for women, and I would look at that.”

However, in April 2024, Trump refrained from endorsing a government ban on abortion. In a video posted on Truth Social, he asserted that each state should handle the abortion debate responsibly. “My view is, now that we have an abortion where everybody wanted it from a legal standpoint, the states will determine by vote or legislation, or perhaps both, and whatever they decide must be the law of the land,” Trump said.