Donald Trump, who has run a business empire but never held any elected office, created yet another firestorm today over the most hotly debated social issue of our time.
In an interview with MSNBC, Trump said he believed that if abortion were made illegal in America there would “have to be some form of punishment” for women.
Trump said the punishment would have to be determined, but stated a man who impregnated the woman should face no penalty.
His answer, for one of the few times in history, united both pro and anti abortion groups, along with both Republican and Democratic candidates for president.
“Of course we shouldn’t be talking about punishing women,” said Sen Ted Cruz. “We should affirm their dignity and the incredible gift they have to bring life into the world.”
“Absolutely not, of course, women shouldn’t be punished, I don’t think that’s an appropriate response,” said Ohio Gov John Kasich.
Hillary Clinton tweeted this response:
Just when you thought it couldn’t get worse. Horrific and telling. -H https://t.co/Qi8TutsOw9
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) March 30, 2016
Bernie Sanders tweeted this:
Your Republican frontrunner, ladies and gentlemen. Shameful. https://t.co/y49Z8YfRgV
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) March 30, 2016
Anti-abortion groups also called the Trump suggestion horrific. “No pro-lifer would ever want to punish a woman who has chosen abortion,” said Jeanne Mancini, president of the pro-life March For Life.
Late today Trump released a statement backtracking on the comment, but not admitting what he had said was a mistake.
“If Congress were to pass legislation making abortion illegal and the federal courts upheld this legislation, or any state were permitted to ban abortion under state and federal law, the doctor or any other person performing this illegal act upon a woman would be held legally responsible, not the woman,” the Trump statement read.
The billionaire GOP front-runner, who says he favors the repeal of Roe v. Wade, has not always held that position. In a 1999 interview he called himself “very pro-choice.”
The abortion flap comes at a bad time for Trump. The next primary state, Wisconsin, is viewed as the first major Trump-Cruz showdown and a new Marquette University poll finds Cruz now ahead by 10 points.
Cruz has 40 percent of the likely GOP primary voters, Trump 30 percent and John Kasich 21 percent.
Cruz has doubled his support in Wisconsin this past month. The primary is next Tuesday and the winner will have momentum heading into several big primary states.