Karoline Leavitt, the national press secretary for former President Donald Trump’s campaign, responded to criticism from Trump’s former vice president, Mike Pence, regarding Trump’s stance on abortion during an interview on Newsmax’s “National Report” on Tuesday.
Leavitt dismissed Pence’s comments, highlighting that Pence received minimal support in the Republican presidential primary, garnering less than 1% in polling. She emphasized that voters have demonstrated their indifference to Pence’s views, indicating that his criticism holds little weight.
Pence had criticized Trump’s position on abortion, characterizing it as a “retreat” on the right to life and a disappointment to anti-abortion Americans. Trump had recently stated that abortion laws should be decided by individual states while also expressing support for protecting in vitro fertilization.
Leavitt defended Trump’s stance, describing it as impactful and resonant with the majority of Americans, not just Republican voters. She emphasized Trump’s call for returning decision-making power to state legislatures, asserting that it aligns with the desire of many Americans to address the issue at the state level.
Leavitt underscored Trump’s criticism of Democrats, labeling them as radicals on the abortion issue. She highlighted Joe Biden and the Democratic Party’s support for late-term abortion, contrasting it with the stance of the majority of Americans who oppose such measures.
Leavitt urged Pence, the mainstream media, and others critical of Trump also to address Biden’s position on abortion, which she characterized as out of touch with public sentiment.