GOP Governors Kemp, Reynolds Scold Trump for Abortion Retreat: ‘Nothing Terrible About Standing Up for Life’

Former President Donald Trump is facing a backlash from conservatives after he characterized six-week abortion bans passed in some red states across the country as “terrible” during a recent interview with Meet the Press‘s Kristen Welker.

Trump refused to tell Welker if he would sign a 15-week ban into law if he reprised his role as president, instead saying, “I would sit down with both sides, and I’d negotiate something, and we’ll end up with peace on that issue for the first time in 52 years.”

“I’m not going to say I would or I wouldn’t. I mean, [Ron DeSantis] is willing to sign a five-week and six-week ban,” he added.

“Would you support that? You think that goes too far?” inquired Welker.

“I think what he [DeSantis did is a terrible thing and a terrible mistake,” replied Trump. “But we’ll come up with a number, but at the same time, Democrats won’t be able to go out at six months, seven months, eight months and allow an abortion.”

The comments have frustrated other Republican incumbents who have supported pro-life measures similar to the one signed by DeSantis, including Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds.

“It’s never a ‘terrible thing’ to protect innocent life,” argued Reynolds on X. “I’m proud of the fetal heartbeat bill the Iowa legislature passed and I signed in 2018 and again earlier this year.”

Longtime Trump adversary and Georgia Governor Brian Kemp joined in the scolding.

“There’s nothing ‘terrible’ about standing up for life,” declared Kemp. “In addition to passing the heartbeat bill, Georgia has proudly protected and valued life through implementing adoption and foster care reforms, and combatting human trafficking – and will continue to do so as long as I’m governor.”

Influential conservative pundits Erick Erickson and Dan Bongino have also decried Trump’s retreat on the issue, with the former saying he’s “seen enough” from the former president and the latter admitting he “can’t reconcile” Trump’s position with “faith” or “morality.”

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