Republicans Approve Trump's Party Platform, Dropping 40-Year Push for an Abortion Ban

The Republican National Committee (RNC) has approved a new party platform, promoted by former President Donald Trump, that scales back explicit GOP opposition to abortion, dropping the party's push for a federal abortion ban for the first time in 40 years.

Since the new policy doesn't call for a national ban, that effectively leaves the issue up to the states to decide abortion restrictions.

The Family Research Council's Tony Perkins, an elected member of the RNC platform committee, had warned about the proposed change in advance. He told CBN News he was fighting to keep a pro-life declaration in the party platform.  

"America can't be great until it's morally good. It has to have that foundation," Perkins had noted.

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Several sources who were briefed on the contents of the new document say it does declare, “We believe that the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States guarantees that no person can be denied life or liberty without due process and that the states are, therefore, free to pass laws protecting those rights.”

At least one pro-life group is offering a positive outlook about that statement.

SBA Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser stated, "It is important that the GOP reaffirmed its commitment to protect unborn life today through the 14th Amendment. Under this amendment, it is Congress that enacts and enforces its provisions. The Republican Party remains strongly pro-life at the national level."    

And Ralph Reed, founder and chairman of the Faith and Freedom Coalition, said, "The Republican Party platform makes clear the unborn child has a right to life that is protected by the Constitution under the due process clause of the 14th Amendment. That language has been in the GOP platform for 40 years and reflects the view of Ronald Reagan. While aspirational, it applies to both the states and the federal government. The proposed ban on late-term abortion also implies federal as well as state action. It is an unapologetically pro-life position and we are grateful to President Trump and the Republican Party for standing for life."

Abortion has been a major national political concern since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022 and returned the issue to the states. 

Trump had supported federal legislation in 2018 that would have banned abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy, though the measure fell short of the necessary support in the Senate. But in the aftermath of the Supreme Court's 2022 Dobbs ruling on abortion, Trump has angered some pro-life groups by saying he doesn't support a national ban and that the issue should be decided by individual states.

The new RNC platform also omits GOP support for the traditional definition of marriage as the union of "one man and one woman." The Trump campaign sent us the following list of 20 objectives that remain in the new Republican platform:

1.    SEAL THE BORDER, AND STOP THE MIGRANT INVASION
2.    CARRY OUT THE LARGEST DEPORTATION OPERATION IN AMERICAN HISTORY 
3.    END INFLATION, AND MAKE AMERICA AFFORDABLE AGAIN
4.    MAKE AMERICA THE DOMINANT ENERGY PRODUCER IN THE WORLD, BY FAR!
5.    STOP OUTSOURCING, AND TURN THE UNITED STATES INTO A MANUFACTURING SUPERPOWER 
6.    LARGE TAX CUTS FOR WORKERS, AND NO TAX ON TIPS!
7.    DEFEND OUR CONSTITUTION, OUR BILL OF RIGHTS, AND OUR FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS, INCLUDING FREEDOM OF SPEECH, FREEDOM OF RELIGION, AND THE RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS
8.    PREVENT WORLD WAR THREE, RESTORE PEACE IN EUROPE AND IN THE MIDDLE EAST, AND BUILD A GREAT IRON DOME MISSILE DEFENSE SHIELD OVER OUR ENTIRE COUNTRY -- ALL MADE IN AMERICA
9.    END THE WEAPONIZATION OF GOVERNMENT AGAINST THE AMERICAN PEOPLE 
10.    STOP THE MIGRANT CRIME EPIDEMIC, DEMOLISH THE FOREIGN DRUG CARTELS, CRUSH GANG VIOLENCE, AND LOCK UP VIOLENT OFFENDERS 
11.    REBUILD OUR CITIES, INCLUDING WASHINGTON DC, MAKING THEM SAFE, CLEAN, AND BEAUTIFUL AGAIN.
12.    STRENGTHEN AND MODERNIZE OUR MILITARY, MAKING IT, WITHOUT QUESTION, THE STRONGEST AND MOST POWERFUL IN THE WORLD
13.    KEEP THE U.S. DOLLAR AS THE WORLD'S RESERVE CURRENCY
14.    FIGHT FOR AND PROTECT SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE WITH NO CUTS, INCLUDING NO CHANGES TO THE RETIREMENT AGE
15.    CANCEL THE ELECTRIC VEHICLE MANDATE AND CUT COSTLY AND BURDENSOME REGULATIONS 
16.    CUT FEDERAL FUNDING FOR ANY SCHOOL PUSHING CRITICAL RACE THEORY, RADICAL GENDER IDEOLOGY, AND OTHER INAPPROPRIATE RACIAL, SEXUAL, OR POLITICAL CONTENT ON OUR CHILDREN
17.    KEEP MEN OUT OF WOMEN'S SPORTS
18.    DEPORT PRO-HAMAS RADICALS AND MAKE OUR COLLEGE CAMPUSES SAFE AND PATRIOTIC AGAIN
19.    SECURE OUR ELECTIONS, INCLUDING SAME DAY VOTING, VOTER IDENTIFICATION, PAPER BALLOTS, AND PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP
20.    UNITE OUR COUNTRY BY BRINGING IT TO NEW AND RECORD LEVELS OF SUCCESS