Trump Changes His Stance on Punishing Women for Abortion

Hours after widespread criticism of Donald Trump's remarks about the need to punish women who have abortions, he changed his statement and said that those who perform the act should be punished, not the women. The leading Republican candidate in the primary elections stated in an interview with MSNBC on April 1 that there should be penalties for women who undergo abortions. Simultaneously, his campaign issued a statement saying, 'This issue is unclear and should be referred to state governments for clarification.' Trump then stated, 'Doctors or anyone else who illegally performs this act should be held accountable, not women.' Just hours after calling for punishment of women, he changed his words and said women are 'victims.' Trump's initial comments faced widespread backlash and severe criticism, including from Hillary Clinton, the leading Democratic candidate, who wrote on her Facebook page referencing these remarks, 'Just when you think it can't get worse; [his statement] is horrifying and indicative of [many things].' Reuters also reported that John Kasich, one of Trump's rivals in the primaries, emphasized that he opposes 'abortion' except in cases like 'rape,' but added, 'Of course, women should not be punished for this issue.' This is not the first time Mr. Trump has changed his opinion or stance on something. In response to criticism over his shifting positions, the Republican candidate stated, 'You have to be somewhat flexible.' Just a day before his comments on abortion, he had retracted his previous commitment to support the final Republican nominee, stating, 'I have backed off from this.' In previous years, he had supported Hillary Clinton's campaign. Critics say that despite his harsh statements against immigrants, he employs them as workers in his personal villa.