Former President Donald Trump found himself in a controversial backtrack on Monday following his remarks about potentially restricting access to contraception, which drew immediate scrutiny and criticism. During an interview with KDKA-TV News, when questioned by journalist Jon Delano on whether he supported any restrictions on contraception, Trump’s response was vague but suggestive.
“We’re looking at that and I’m going to have a policy on that very shortly,” Trump replied. “And I think it’s something you’ll find interesting. It’s another issue that’s very interesting. But you’ll find it very smart. I think it’s a smart decision. But we’ll be releasing it very soon.”
The ambiguity of his comments led Delano to probe further, asking specifically about the morning-after pill, to which Trump indicated a decentralized approach. “We are also — you know things really do have a lot to do with the states. And some states are going to have different policies than others. But I’m coming out within a week or so with a very comprehensive policy which I’ll get to you immediately,” Trump stated, hinting at some level of restriction.
This interaction, captured and disseminated by a CBS affiliate, immediately fueled discussions on the implications of his statements. CNN political analyst S.E. Cupp weighed in, suggesting that Trump’s fluctuating stance is indicative of his struggle to appease his evangelical base while not alienating swing voters.
“This is typical of Trump, especially on this issue,” Cupp observed. “He has waffled on this issue from the 90s until now on everything from whether there should be a federal ban, a state ban, six weeks, ten weeks, IVF, and contraception. And what’s wild to me is that this is a defining issue of this election.”
Cupp criticized Trump for his lack of a clear stance, highlighting the significance of the issue for women and Republican voters alike. “This is a defining issue for women,” she said. “Most importantly, this is a defining issue for Republican voters. That he doesn’t have a coherent position on this issue is bananas and almost malfeasant.”
She further lambasted Trump for not having a well-defined policy response, which could have prevented the need for backtracking. “How you haven’t hammered this out so that you know exactly what to say when that very easy question is asked — you don’t have to backpedal. You don’t have to waffle. You don’t have to keep saying, ‘Well, we’ll kick it over to the states!’ — as if that answers anything; which is exactly what he did with his abortion stance,” Cupp concluded, emphasizing the ongoing political ramifications of his indecisive policy pronouncements.