Yesterday, Donald Trump held a press conference where he did what he does best: lie, complain, and threaten fundamental freedoms. He refused to say if he would support Florida’s constitutional amendment protecting abortion access and he opened the door to banning medication abortion nationwide – effectively ripping away the most common method of abortion care nationwide, even impacting states where abortion is currently legal. 

Medication abortion by mail is used in a range of ways to protect women’s health, including managing miscarriages. Trump further doubled down on his anti-reproductive freedom agenda by refusing to support a statewide ballot initiative to protect abortion access in Florida after his extreme ban devastated Floridians’ reproductive health care choices.

DNC Spokesperson Addy Toevs released the following statement: 

“There is no question: Trump wants to see abortion banned in every state, and if he and JD Vance win in November, they will ‘absolutely’ ban medication abortion nationwide as part of their extreme Project 2025 agenda. After paving the way for an extreme abortion ban on Floridians, Trump is doubling down by refusing to support Florida’s constitutional amendment to protect abortion access. It’s no surprise, Trump is ‘proudly’ responsible for ending federally protected abortion access and he’s threatening to go further in a second term. In stark contrast, Vice President Harris and Governor Walz have gone to bat again and again to protect womens’ right to choose, and they’ll fight every day to restore the rights and freedoms that Trump ripped away from women across America.” 

Donald Trump said he would “absolutely” direct the FDA to end medication abortion access if elected.

Reporter: “Would you direct your FDA, for example, to revoke access to mifepristone?” […]

Donald Trump: “You could do things that would be– will supplement, absolutely. Those things are pretty open.”

Donald Trump wouldn’t commit to supporting Florida’s constitutional amendment to protect abortion statewide.

WFLA: “Trump won’t yet say how he will vote on Florida’s abortion amendment”

“Amendment 4 would allow abortions up to the time of viability unless the patient’s health is at risk.

“Trump also added that he doesn’t believe abortion will be a major campaign issue.

“A recent Florida poll showed that 69% of voters who were asked said they would vote ‘yes’ on the amendment. The amendment requires “yes” votes from 60% of voters in order to pass.

“‘Florida does have a vote coming up on that, and I think probably the vote will go in a little more liberal way than people thought,’ Trump said. ‘But I’ll be announcing that at the appropriate time.’”

Tampa Bay Times: “Does Trump support Florida’s abortion Amendment 4? Soon, he’ll say.”

“On Thursday, Trump also said he thought the fervor around abortion has been ‘taken down many notches’ and said he believes it will ultimately be ‘a very small issue.’”

Washington Post: “Trump holds meandering news conference, where he agrees to debate Harris”

“Trump said he was less concerned now about Democrats using the reversal of Roe v. Wade, made possible by his appointments to the Supreme Court, to win the election in 2024. Democrats have said they plan to make abortion a focal point of their campaign and have had success in recent elections by elevating the topic.

“‘That issue … is very much subdued,’ Trump said.

“He declined to say how he would vote in a Florida abortion referendum that he predicted liberals would win.”

Politico: “Trump won’t say how he’ll vote on Florida abortion amendment”

“Trump made the comments during a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach. A POLITICO reporter asked how he — as a Florida resident — would vote and he demurred, adding that he thinks abortion has ‘become much less of an issue.’

“When pressed later in the press conference about the proposed amendment, which Floridians will vote on in November, he promised to hold a press conference on the matter ‘sometime in the near future.’”