President Biden has strongly criticized Florida’s recently enacted 6-week abortion ban, labeling it an ‘extreme ban’ and placing the blame squarely on former President Donald Trump. In a statement released on Wednesday, Biden condemned the pro-life restriction on abortion eligibility, calling it a ‘nightmare.’ He asserted that Trump bears sole responsibility for implementing this restrictive measure.
Biden highlighted the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which effectively reversed federal protections for abortion rights and relegated decision-making authority to individual states. This ruling is widely attributed to Trump’s appointment of three conservative justices during his presidency.
In his statement, Biden emphasized Trump’s self-proclaimed role in overturning Roe v. Wade, enabling the enactment of extreme abortion bans like Florida’s. He decried Trump’s assertion that his plan is working ‘brilliantly’ despite its impact on millions of women in Florida and across the country who are now denied access to essential healthcare.
Florida’s new law replaces the state’s previous 15-week abortion ban with a stricter 6-week limit. It includes exceptions for cases of rape, incest, and human trafficking up to 15 weeks, as well as legal allowances for addressing fatal fetal abnormalities and threats to the mother’s life.
Biden further condemned recent remarks made by Trump in an interview with Time magazine, in which Trump indicated a willingness to sign a national abortion ban if elected. Biden interpreted this as a clear indication that Trump intends to further restrict abortion access nationwide and punish women for seeking reproductive healthcare.
Despite Trump’s comments in the Time interview, it is important to note that he did not explicitly endorse a national abortion ban and stated that the issue should be left to individual states. Nonetheless, Biden concluded his statement by asserting that Trump is responsible for the erosion of women’s rights and freedoms in America.
Florida’s citizens will have the opportunity to vote in November on a proposed constitutional amendment that would enshrine the right to abortion up until fetal viability.
