President Biden visited Florida on Tuesday to address the newly implemented law restricting abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. He condemned the law as criminalizing reproductive healthcare before women can even discover their pregnancies. Biden emphasized that reproductive rights for millions of Americans are at stake in the upcoming elections and attributed the current restrictions to former President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court appointments. Trump, a Florida resident and frontrunner for the Republican nomination, celebrated the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, calling it a significant victory. Florida voters will soon consider a ballot measure to enshrine abortion protections in the state’s constitution. Yet Trump has declined to disclose his stance on the measure.
Biden used Florida as an example of what may happen on a national level if he is not reelected. He warned that if Congress attempts to pass a nationwide abortion ban, he will use his presidential authority to prevent it. In contrast, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a former Trump rival in the Republican presidential primary, dismissed Biden’s concerns. DeSantis expressed confidence that Floridians support the state’s abortion restrictions and predicted that they would help oust Biden from office during the next election.
