Mike Pence calls Trump’s abortion policy a ‘slap’ to ‘millions of Americans’: Former vice president slams old boss, suggests Republicans want to ‘wash their hands’ in battle for life

Former Vice President Mike Pence criticized his former boss’ announcement Monday that abortion should be left to the states, saying Donald Trump helped end Roe v Wade but that Republicans no longer want to take responsibility for the issue.

“President Trump’s retreat on the right to life is a slap in the face to the millions of pro-life Americans who voted for him in 2016 and 2020,” Pence said in a post on X.

He continued: “By nominating and supporting the confirmation of conservative judges, the Trump-Pence Administration helped consign Roe v. Wade to the ash heap of history where it belongs and gave the pro-life movement the opportunity to compassionately support women already the unborn. children.’

Pence criticized Republican politicians saying they are ‘Everyone is too willing to wash their hands of the battle for life.’

The former vice president stated that Republicans “win at life” when they “bravely tell the truth.”

He also promised that he would never give in.until we see the sanctity of life restored to the center of American law in every state in this country.’

Pence’s harsh criticism came after Trump posted a four-minute video on social media announcing his latest stance on abortion ahead of the 2024 election.

The long-awaited announcement came after months of Trump delaying revealing his position on abortion, as the issue has been a motivation for Democrats since Roe was overturned.

Pence’s fiery post was one of several disappointed responses to Trump’s video on Monday from anti-abortion politicians and advocates who have been pushing for a federal abortion ban since the fall of Roe in 2022.

Trump said Monday that it should be up to states to determine abortion laws and that he would not support a ban at the federal level despite indicating last month that he might support one.

This followed reports that Trump was considering supporting a 15-week abortion ban, meaning women would not be able to legally terminate their pregnancies after the first trimester.

“We have abortions where everyone wanted it from a legal standpoint, the states will determine it by voting or legislation or maybe both, and whatever they decide should be the law of the land,” Trump, 77, said in the video .

Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America said in a statement Monday that the group is “deeply disappointed” with Trump’s position and said handing the issue over to the states “cedes the national debate to Democrats.”

The anti-abortion group said it will continue to “work tirelessly to defeat President Biden” in November.

Pence had previously said he would not endorse Trump in the 2024 election. The couple’s relationship went south after Pence moved to certify the 2020 election despite Trump’s false claims that the election was stolen. .

Pence was the first vice president to join the anti-abortion March for Life in Washington, D.C. in 2017, just days after Trump took office.

Trump became the first sitting president to personally address the March for Life a few years later in 2020.

During the Trump administration, Pence promised to help end abortion in the United States and advocated for Trump to appoint judges who would overturn Roe v Wade.

In his video, Trump thanked the six justices who overturned Roe and praised them for their “bravery.” The former president said he was “proudly the person responsible” for ending Roe v Wade.