Trump backtracks after abortion idea triggers storm
US Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump does a volte-face on his abortion position after controversial remarks on women’s ‘punishment.’
Trump on Wednesday backpedaled on earlier call for punishment against women who engage in illegal abortion, saying in a statement that “the doctor or any other person performing this illegal act upon a woman would be held legally responsible, not the woman.”
“The woman is a victim in this case, as is the life in her womb,” he noted.
Earlier, he told MSNBC that there should be “some form of punishment” on women who did that.
The comments were swiftly picked by Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton who branded his position "horrific," while her rival Bernie Sanders called it "shameful."
The 69-year-old Trump, who during his political life has been a Democrat and an independent and is only a recent convert to the "pro-life" anti-abortion position, has been accused in the past of flip-flopping on the hot-button issue.
Even Trump's ultraconservative rival Ted Cruz, an evangelical Texas senator, bashed him, accusing the real estate mogul of saying "anything just to get attention."
Ohio Governor John Kasich, the third candidate in the Republican race for the White House, also weighed in, saying, "Of course women shouldn't be punished."
The campaign for Republican nomination has been marred by countless instances of scandals, mudslinging and onstage vulgarity, where rivals have time and again seized opportunities to blacken their opponents and push them down the gutter.
Quick and peaceful US election transition
US media declares Trump winner of presidency
‘War criminals’: Netizens react to US election results as Trump declares victory over Harris
VIDEO | Beaten Democrats look warily at four more years of Trump
VIDEO | A look at Trump's past actions
US, UK warplanes pound Yemeni capital Sana’a, other regions
VIDEO | 57 weeks of pro-Palestine rallies in Milan
VIDEO | Iraqi fighters strike Israeli military target, vow ‘increasing intensity’
VIDEO | Iran confirms successful signals from Kowsar, Hodhod satellites
VIDEO | What will keep Gaza on top of the new US presidential agenda?
188 Palestinian journalists killed since start of Israeli war: Gaza media office
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
