Trump firms up anti-abortion movement’s support
Donald Trump vowed to stand with anti-abortion activists yesterday as he became the first sitting US president to speak at the March for Life, an annual gathering that is one of the movement’s highest-profile and most symbolic events.
‘‘Unborn children have never had a stronger defender in the White House,’’ he told a crowd of thousands braving the cold on the National Mall.
Four years ago, a political committee supporting one of Trump’s Republican rivals ran an advertisement slamming his views on abortion, complete with footage from a 1999 interview in which he declared: ‘‘I am prochoice in every respect.’’ But yesterday, he was hailed in speeches and on signs as ‘‘the most prolife’’ American president ever.
Evangelical and conservative
Christians are among Trump’s most loyal backers. As he heads into the 2020 election, he is counting on those voters to help get him across the finish line.
Ralph Reed, chair of the Faith and Freedom Coalition and one of Trump’s most prominent evangelical supporters, said the president’s appearance would ‘‘energise and remind pro-life voters what a great friend this president and administration has been’’.
Past presidents who opposed abortion, including Ronald Reagan and George W Bush, steered clear of personally attending the march, to avoid being too closely associated with demonstrators eager to outlaw the procedure. Instead, they sent remarks for others to deliver, spoke via telephone hookup, or invited organisers to the White House.
During his first three years in office, Trump has embraced socially conservative policies, particularly on abortion. He has appointed judges who oppose it, cut taxpayer funding for health organisations over the issue, and painted Democrats who support abortion rights as extreme in their views.
Yesterday, his administration took another step, threatening California with the potential loss of federal health care funding over the state’s requirement that insurance plans cover abortions.
Trump used his speech at the march to attack Democrats for embracing what he called ‘‘radical and extreme positions’’ on abortion, and praised attendees, saying they were motivated by ‘‘pure, unselfish love’’.
Critics accused Trump of using the event to try to distract from his impeachment trial in the Senate.