
In a pivotal move, the Republican National Committee (RNC) has approved a new platform that abandons the party’s previous stance on federal abortion limits, aligning instead with former President Donald Trump’s approach of leaving the issue to individual states. This decision was made during a platform committee meeting held on Monday in Milwaukee, with the new language swiftly adopted by a vote of 84 to 18.
The updated platform marks a significant shift for the GOP, removing the explicit advocacy for federal abortion limits that had been a staple of its platform. Instead, it emphasizes that states are “free to pass laws protecting” the rights granted in the 14th Amendment, which conservatives argue protects life beginning at conception. Anti-abortion leaders have expressed cautious support for the new language, praising its reference to 14th Amendment protections.
Former President Trump played a crucial role in shaping the new platform, with some sections reportedly written by him. His campaign team was present at the meeting, actively encouraging delegates to vote in favor of the proposed changes. Trump addressed the delegates by phone, contributing to what one platform committee member described as a “euphoric consensus” that facilitated the platform’s quick approval.
Unlike the party’s 2016 platform, the new text does not include a 20-week federal limit on abortions or a call for states to pass the Human Life Amendment, which proposes to amend the Constitution to declare that life begins at conception. The platform now focuses on opposing late-term abortion while supporting mothers and policies that advance prenatal care, access to birth control, and fertility treatments.
Despite the platform’s emphasis on state-level decision-making, anti-abortion groups have voiced support for the new language. Ralph Reed, founder and chair of the Faith & Freedom Coalition, highlighted that the platform continues to assert the unborn child’s right to life under the 14th Amendment. John Mize, CEO of Americans United for Life, described the platform as “a more moderate approach to the pro-life issue” and noted that his organization collaborated with the Trump campaign to balance the text.
The adoption of the new platform was not without controversy. The RNC implemented strict measures to keep the language under wraps, barring delegates from using their phones and tightly controlling the release of draft texts. Some delegates criticized these restrictions as unprecedented and aimed at limiting public dissent.
As the platform moves to a vote by the full convention body next week, it remains a point of contention within the party. The Biden campaign has already criticized the new platform, asserting that Trump would “rip away women’s freedoms” if he regains power.
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