Trump says he won’t sign abortion ban into law

The former president’s comment to reporters is the most explicit he’s been so far regarding a national ban

Former president Donald Trump said he would not sign a national abortion ban into law if it were passed by Congress, his firmest remark yet on a national prohibition of the procedure.

When asked on Wednesday in Atlanta whether he would sign a federal abortion ban if it crossed his desk as president, Mr Trump replied, “No,” CNN reported.

However, his latest promise raised eyebrows as earlier this week, in a Truth Social video, he announced his belief that the issue of abortion should be left up to the states — notably not backing a national ban on the procedure.

In the video, the former president said he was “proudly the person responsible” for the end of Roe v Wade in 2022.

“Many people have asked me what my position is on abortion and abortion rights, especially since I was proudly the person responsible for something that all legal scholars both sides wanted and in fact demanded be ended: Roe vs Wade. They wanted it ended,” he said.

Earlier on Wednesday, the former president also weighed in on the slavery-era abortion ruling in Arizona. He said the state’s supreme court went too far on Tuesday when it ruled that a near-total abortion ban from 1864 is enforceable.

The ban’s only exception is in the case of saving a woman’s life.

When Mr Trump was asked on Wednesday if the ruling went too far, he replied, “Yeah, they did and I think it’ll be straightened out and, as you know, it’s all about states’ rights and it will be straightened out.”

He added, “And I’m sure the governor and everybody else have got to bring it back into reason and that it will be taken care of I think.”

This announcement arrived weeks after reports that he privately indicated support for a 16-week national ban.

Arizona’s ban is set to go into effect later this month.

However, it may not be permanent, as the state’s voters could have a chance to enshrine the right to abortion up to 24 weeks by voting for a possible amendment in November.