Trump Faces Conservative Backlash for Criticizing Florida Abortion Ban as ‘Too Short’

Former President Donald Trump suggested he might back a Florida ballot initiative to overturn the state’s six-week abortion ban, sparking backlash from conservatives.

In a brief interview with NBC News on Thursday, Trump criticized the current abortion ban in Florida, calling it “too short.”

“I think the six week is too short. It has to be more time,” said Trump. “I want more weeks.”

“I am going to be voting that we need more than six weeks,” he added.

Trump’s comment came in response to a question from the outlet about how he plans to vote in the November referendum, given his status as a Florida resident.

Following the interview, Trump Campaign National Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified that the former president had not yet made a decision on how he would vote on the measure.

“President Trump has not yet said how he will vote on the ballot initiative in Florida, he simply reiterated that he believes six weeks is too short,” she said in a statement.

Regarded as one of the strictest abortion bans in the country, the law was signed by Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in April 2023 and went into effect in May 2023. Known as the “heartbeat” bill, it prohibits abortions after six weeks, when a fetal heartbeat can be detected.

The sole exception is if the mother’s life is at risk.

When the bill was signed, Trump criticized DeSantis, stating that he had made a “terrible mistake.”

Amendment 4, one of six ballot measures Florida voters will evaluate in November, aims to enshrine a state constitutional right to abortion before viability, effectively overturning the heartbeat law.

The measure requires at least 60 percent support to pass.

Since starting his 2024 campaign, Trump has portrayed himself as sympathetic to abortion rights advocates. Earlier this year, he stated that he would not endorse a national abortion ban, and he reaffirmed this position during his CNN presidential debate with President Joe Biden.

Following the interview, many conservatives expressed their disappointment with the former president’s comments on X.

Lila Rose, founder and president of Live Action, described the remarks as “totally devastating.”

“This makes me so furious, I cannot see straight! Trump is pissing all over Florida’s heart beat bill AND WILL BE VOTING FOR the SOROS funded AMENDMENT 4 that will enshrine abortion up until birth into the Florida Constitution,” another user wrote.

Author Allie Beth Stuckey wrote that comments such as this make it “much, much more difficult” to get women to not vote for Vice President Kamala Harris.

“Trump says he will vote yes an amendment that guarantees abortion til birth. My gosh. Aside from being morally wrong, it’s politically miscalculated,” she wrote.

According to the Daily Mail, Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, reached out to Trump after the interview to clarify his position. Trump confirmed Leavitt’s statement that he had not yet decided how he would vote.

“President Trump has consistently opposed abortions after five months of pregnancy. Amendment 4 would allow abortion past this point. Voting for Amendment 4 completely undermines his position,” she said. 

“We strongly support Florida’s current heartbeat law. For anyone who believes in drawing a different line, they still must vote against Amendment 4, unless they don’t want a line at all. Amendment 4 would lock unlimited abortion into the state constitution, preventing the Florida legislature from enacting any changes.”

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