Trump joins anti-abortion rally

WASHINGTON: Amid an impeachment trial, President Donald Trump on Friday reiterated his support for tighter abortion restrictions, pledging at the annual March for Life rally in Washington that “unborn children have never had a stronger defender in the White House,” reports the US media Friday.

Trump, making history as the first President to attend the event since it began nearly a half-century ago, looked to strengthen his ties to a key coalition of his political base, which he’ll need as he seeks reelection this year. He used his remarks to not only express support for the movement but to paint those supportive of looser abortion laws as radicals, often employing language that mischaracterized the views of most Democrats. “Together we are the voice for the voiceless. When itcomes to Democrats — and you know this — you’ve seen what’s happened. Democrats have embraced the most radical and extreme positions taken and seen in this country for years and decades and you can even say for centuries,” Trump said. “Nearly every top Democrat in Congress now support taxpayer-funded abortion all the way up until the moment of birth.”

Trump’s claim is false. Although Democrats generally favor looser abortion laws and several states allow so-called “late-term” abortions, the procedures do not occur “up until the moment of birth,” as Trump claimed. He also reiterated an incendiary and false accusation against Virginia Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam, saying he would “execute” a baby even after it is born, a mischaracterization of a remark Northam made last year in which he was discussing fetuses that are nonviable. No Democrat has signaled support for killing infants after birth, as Trump suggested.

“Sadly, the far left is actively working to erase our God-given rights, shut down faith-based charities, ban religious believers from the public square and silence Americans who believe in the sanctity of life,” Trump said Friday. “They are coming after me because I am fighting for you, and we are fighting for those who have no voice, and we will win because we know how to win.”

The Trump administration has consistently worked to regulate or restrict abortion access, appointed two Supreme Court justices seen as holding anti-abortion views and on Friday announced it will take legal action against California over the state’s mandate that insurers, including private health insurance policies, cover abortions.