'Respectfully Disagree': Lindsey Graham Pushes Back on Trump's Abortion Comments, Wants Federal Limits

On Monday morning, former President and 2024 GOP nominee Donald Trump released a statement supporting states’ rights when it comes to the matter of abortion. Trump’s announcement signaled he would not seek a federal abortion ban should he be re-elected in November.

“Many states will be different,” Trump said. “Many will have a different number of weeks, or some will have more conservative than others, and that’s what they will be. At the end of the day, this is all about the will of the people.”

Trump ally and South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham issued a response to Trump’s statement, saying that he “respectfully” disagrees.

“I respectfully disagree with President Trump’s statement that abortion is a states’ rights issue. Dobbs does not require that conclusion legally and the pro-life movement has always been about the wellbeing of the unborn child – not geography,” Graham said.

“The states’ rights only rationale today runs contrary to an American consensus that would limit late-term abortions and will age about as well as the Dred Scott decision,” he added. “The science is clear – a child at fifteen weeks is well-developed and is capable of feeling pain.”

The states’ rights only rationale today runs contrary to an American consensus that would limit late-term abortions and will age about as well as the Dred Scott decision.

The science is clear – a child at fifteen weeks is well-developed and is capable of feeling pain.

— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) April 8, 2024

“I will continue to advocate that there should be a national minimum standard limiting abortion at fifteen weeks because the child is capable of feeling pain, with exceptions for rape, incest and life of the mother,” Graham continued on X.

“However, until we achieve this goal, the least we can do is to provide anesthesia to an unborn child facing an abortion at fifteen weeks because they can feel pain. Therefore, I will be introducing new legislation requiring abortion providers to administer anesthesia to an unborn child at fifteen weeks because they are capable of feeling pain. It is common medical practice to administer anesthesia to operate on an unborn child at fifteen weeks to save their life.”

However, until we achieve this goal, the least we can do is to provide anesthesia to an unborn child facing an abortion at fifteen weeks because they can feel pain. Therefore, I will be introducing new legislation requiring abortion providers to administer anesthesia to an unborn…

— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) April 8, 2024