The Supreme Court’s ruling Thursday Maintaining nationwide access Lawsuits against the abortion drug mifepristone have been limited, some states are already preparing other lawsuits, and the political debate over the pill continues.
What President Trump said about the abortion pill
Former President Donald Trump has remained silent about his stance on the drug, which was used in more than 60 percent of abortions performed last year.
In an interview Time Magazine In April, Trump said he would announce a policy position on the drug the following week. “I have opinions on it, but I’m not going to explain it. I’m not going to say it yet. But I have pretty strong opinions on it,” he told Time magazine. But the day passed without an announcement from the former president.
“The Supreme Court has ruled unanimously 9-0. The matter is settled. This election is about righting the weaknesses, failures and dishonesty of the Biden crime family,” said Daniel Alvarez, a spokesman for the Republican National Committee.
Abortion pill challenge rejected on procedural grounds
The Supreme Court’s decision on mifepristone remains a key issue for presidential candidates. The US president appoints the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, which regulates the drug. The Supreme Court case was brought against the FDA by a group of anti-abortion rights doctors and medical associations, and the Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, dismissed the challenge on procedural grounds, finding that the plaintiffs lacked legal standing to sue.
The Supreme Court did not address whether the FDA acted lawfully when it took a series of steps to relax rules on mifepristone’s use in 2016 and 2021. It is possible that the new FDA commissioner could again try to revoke mifepristone’s authorization for use.
Another way to stop using mifepristone
A president who wants to end the use of mifepristone could also implement the long-abandoned Comstock Act, which can be used to ban the mail-order delivery of abortion pills. Asked in an interview with Time magazine whether his administration would implement the law, Trump said he would make a statement within two weeks.
During a private meeting with Republican lawmakers on Thursday, Trump did not discuss the mifepristone ruling but spoke more broadly about abortion access and reiterated his belief that policy decisions are up to the states, according to lawmakers who were present.
“He said to make sure that when he discusses this issue, he uses his conscience, shares his beliefs and does so in a way that people can understand,” House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters about Trump’s comments. “Right now, states are dealing with this issue and he’s content to leave it at that.”
Trump and Abortion Policy
The politics of abortion have been tricky for Trump, who praised the overturning of Roe v. Wade and has made it his own since appointing three conservative Supreme Court justices during his first term. But the issue has also been politically risky for Republicans: Every state that has put abortion rights on the ballot has passed one, even in Republican-leaning states, and the issue has proven to energize Democrats at the polls.
He supports leaving abortion rights to the states, telling Time magazine that “it doesn’t matter to me what laws the states pass, whether I agree with them or not,” but he has been critical of some state laws. Florida’s six-week ban He called it a “terrible mistake” and “too burdensome,” but declined to say how he would vote on the bill. Florida Ballot Measures A bill to enshrine the right to abortion in the state constitution is expected to be passed in November.
At the same time, Trump needs the support of anti-abortion groups and voters. In a recorded speech earlier this week at the Danbury Medical Institute, where he called for the “complete eradication” of abortion, Trump did not say the word “abortion.” But he did say, “This is going to be your time. Because you’re going to come back more than any other group… And I’m with you.”
Democrats, who have made abortion rights a centerpiece of their re-election campaign, praised the Supreme Court decision but stopped short of celebrating, warning that the fight for abortion rights is not over.
“This is not something to celebrate, because the reality remains the same,” Vice President Kamala Harris said. “We see the fact that two-thirds of women of reproductive age in the United States live in states where President Trump’s anti-abortion laws are in effect. This ruling is not going to change that.”
