Melania Trump hints at support for abortion rights, saying there's "no room for compromise"
Washington — Melania Trump posted a video on social media on Thursday seeming to confirm a report that she voiced support for abortion rights in her new memoir, putting her at odds with her husband, who has taken credit for the Supreme Court's decision that ended the constitutional right to abortion.
"Individual freedom is a principle that I safeguard," Melania Trump says in the video posted on X. "Without a doubt, there is no room for compromise when it comes to this essential right that all women possess from birth. Individual freedom — what does my body, my choice really mean?"
Melania Trump's memoir, "Melania," is set to be released in the U.S. on Tuesday by Skyhorse.
According to a Guardian report published Wednesday, the former first lady, who has been mostly absent from the campaign trail, writes in her book that "it is imperative to guarantee that women have autonomy in deciding their preference of having children, based on their own convictions, free from any intervention or pressure from the government."
"Why should anyone other than the woman herself have the power to determine what she does with her own body? A woman's fundamental right of individual liberty, to her own life, grants her the authority to terminate her pregnancy if she wishes," she writes, according to the Guardian, which obtained a copy of her book. "Restricting a woman's right to choose whether to terminate an unwanted pregnancy is the same as denying her control over her own body. I have carried this belief with me throughout my entire adult life."
Former President Donald Trump, in an interview with Fox News, said of his wife's statement on abortion, "We spoke about it, and I said, 'You have to write what you believe. I'm not going to tell you what to do. You have to write what you believe.'"
The revelation comes a month before the November election, and as Trump has failed to find a consistent message on abortion rights. The former president's shifting views throughout the campaign have frustrated his supporters who are pushing for a nationwide ban. His appointment of three Supreme Court justices led to the reversal of Roe v. Wade in 2022 and paved the way for 22 states to limit access to abortion.
Trump has insisted that states having the right to determine abortion laws is "where everybody wanted it from a legal standpoint."
The issue has become a political liability for Republicans. Polling has shown that most Americans favor abortion being legal in all or most cases.
Vice President Kamala Harris said at the Sept. 10 debate that Trump would pass a national abortion ban, which her campaign repeated in a statement on Thursday, although earlier this week, Trump said he would veto a national abortion ban.
"Sadly for the women across America, Mrs. Trump's husband firmly disagrees with her and is the reason that more than one in three American women live under a Trump abortion ban that threatens their health, their freedom, and their lives," Harris campaign spokesperson Sarafina Chitika said in a statement. "Donald Trump has made it abundantly clear: If he wins in November, he will ban abortion nationwide, punish women, and restrict women's access to reproductive health care."
According to the Guardian, Melania Trump writes in her book that there are "legitimate reasons for a woman to choose to have an abortion," including rape or incest, the mother's life being at risk, congenital birth defects and severe medical conditions.
"Many women opt for abortions due to personal medical concerns," she writes. "These situations with significant moral implications weigh heavily on the woman and her family and deserve our empathy. Consider, for example, the complexity inherent in the decision of whether the mother should risk her own life to give birth."
She also contends that the ability to have a late-term abortion should be protected, noting they are rare.
"It is important to note that historically, most abortions conducted during the later stages of pregnancy were the result of severe fetal abnormalities that probably would have led to the death or stillbirth of the child," she writes. "Perhaps even the death of the mother. These cases were extremely rare and typically occurred after several consultations between the woman and her doctor. As a community, we should embrace these common-sense standards. Again, timing matters."
Though Roe v. Wade allowed states to restrict abortion after the point of fetal viability, or roughly 24 weeks into pregnancy, the overwhelming number of abortions happen earlier. A 2021 survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 93% of abortions in the U.S. occurred in the first trimester, before the 13th week. Fewer than 1% were performed after 21 weeks.
The former first lady said she supports some restrictions, saying she supports a requirement for minors to obtain parental consent before having an abortion.
"I realize this may not always be possible," she writes. "Our next generation must be provided with knowledge, security, safety, and solace, and the cultural stigma associated with abortion must be lifted."
Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, a leading anti-abortion rights group that supports Trump, issued a statement that criticized Melania Trump for linking abortion rights and "freedom." But the group reiterated their support for defeating Harris in November.