Former President Donald Trump would not commit to a national abortion ban at his CNN town hall Wednesday night but defended groups that seek federal action.
Trump was asked multiple times if he would sign a federal abortion ban into law, the parameters of which host Kaitlan Collins did not define, but the former president would not take a definitive stance, saying he would "negotiate so that people are happy" and that he would "make a determination what is great for the country and what's fair for the country."
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Trump said he believes in exceptions such as situations where the life of the mother is in jeopardy and cases of rape and incest, adding that a "relatively small number" of people are against that. He would not commit to a gestational limit, such as six or 15 weeks.
Commenting on Trump's town hall response, Live Action vice president of communications Noah Brandt told the Washington Examiner, "A presidential candidate will not earn the votes of the millions of pro-life voters who demand bold action in defense of innocent human life by avoiding the issue or cowering in the media."
However, other groups such as SBA Pro-Life America did not follow suit, suggesting a warmer relationship forged after a meeting between SBA President Marjorie Dannenfelser, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), and Trump this week.
Trump previously drew scorn from Dannenfelser after he said the decision to regulate abortion is properly placed in the hands of state legislatures. The SBA president, who said her organization would not support any candidate that did not commit to at least a national 15-week ban, said Trump's position was "morally indefensible."
Similarly, Live Action President Lila Rose said Trump "disqualified himself from the nomination" because of his statement that states should regulate abortion.
Dannenfelser said the May 8 meeting was "terrific" and called Trump's presidency "the most consequential in American history for the pro-life cause."
Calling the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision a "great victory," Trump said that allowing state legislatures to decide how to regulate abortion was "probably the least important part of that victory" because prior to Dobbs, anti-abortion Americans were barred from making any progress on the abortion issue.
"It gave pro-life something to negotiate with," he said, adding that state restrictions coming out now are "very, very positive."
Trump also defended people in the anti-abortion movement, saying they are not the "radical" ones on the abortion issue, but rather pro-abortion advocates who would "rip the baby out of the womb at the end of the ninth month; they will kill the baby in the ninth month."
Using former Gov. Ralph Northam (D-VA), whom he called "crazy," as an example of pro-abortion policy, Trump brought up the Old Dominion Democrat's position of allowing babies to be born and then "essentially decide whether or not to execute the baby."
"These are the radical people," Trump said. "It's not the pro-life people that are radical, it's these people."
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The Trump campaign would not comment on a national gestational limit for abortion, but referred the Washington Examiner to Trump's comments during the town hall and the SBA Pro-Life America letter released earlier this week.
"We implore every leader running for the highest office in our land to embrace the correct scientific, moral, and legal position that the 14th Amendment guarantees every person, including the preborn, equal protection and due process under the law," Brandt said. "That means we cannot indiscriminately kill them through the violence of abortion."