Is Donald Trump Pro-Life? Evidence Against It

[dmar198]

First, this thread is in the apologetics forum because we need to formulate responses to pro-choice arguments that are shrouded in pro-life language. I think Donald Trump is a good example of the kind of person we have to develop responses to.

Here’s what he says in this video:
Reporter: Abortion even early in a pregnancy is murder to you?

Trump: No. What I’m saying is this: with caveats – life of the mother, incest, rape – that’s where I stand. So I’m pro-life, but with the caveats. …

Reporter: Say a woman is pregnant and is not in any of those exception categories, and she chooses to have an abortion.

Trump: It depends when. It depends when.
Based on these statements, Trump appears to believe that abortion should be legal for any reason up to a certain unspecified point in the pregnancy. After this unspecified point, Trump believes abortion should only be legal in some circumstances.

This is precisely the current state of abortion law in the United States.

(The above text is modified from this article.)

Notice how Trump says “I’m pro-life” but lists caveats. The caveats he names are not his only caveats, because he says for other abortions it “depends when.” This seems to be the fundamental pro-choice position. He describes it as “pro-life but with the caveats” and remarks, “if it’s not in those [caveats,] I’m pro-life. Mark, very simple, pro-life.”

How do we show people that “pro-life with the caveats” allows for early abortions, and is the same as being pro-choice?

 

[mattp0625]

He changed his mind to pro life. He’s been saying that for months. Not just once or twice but dozens of times.

 

[1Lord1Faith]

As bad as this sounds, I’ve heard people say that the abortion issue may need to take a back seat to the economy in this election. So I’m not sure they would listen anyway.

 

[TimothyH]

Donald Trump is in favor of the death penalty and therefor not pro-life.

There are no pro-life candidates this time around.

-Tim-

 

[YADA]

First of all - there are [or were] two candidates that were not politicians and neither has been very elegant in some of these questions and similar ones … Carson and Trump. Thus it is not note worthy that they stumble with questions on abortion. Also, many now pro-life people were once pro-choice. This is something to celebrate … not denigrate - even if their views have not shifted to the position you would want 100%.

Good pro-life politicians have not always been eloquent with these questions either - sadly.

There are purists who will not support a candidate that has the caveats - Life of the Mother or in the Case of Rape/Incest … nor any legislation that stops short of the 100% pro-life position and has the exceptions listed above.

Its a fact that pregnancies that result from Rape/Incest are very few - far less than 1%
Pregnancies that truly endanger the mothers life are equally rare.

Millions of babies can be saved by working with those that hold that position as apposed to abortion on demand as is written in the Democratic Party Plank not to mention the worship and celebration of abortion that celebrities and others have today.

Donald Trump’s position is far better for the innocent unborn than others running who will stop at nothing short of abortion from conception to birth [and who are supported by people who have publically advocated killing children - even months after their birth]

Does Trump have the best record of the candidates on the republican side … no,
Does Trump have a better record than the candidates on the democratic side - absolutely.

Does Father Pavone think Sanders is okay? - as one poster here at CAF implied - No

 

[Tim_D]

Donald Trump is in favor of the death penalty and therefor not pro-life.

The death penalty has nothing to do with the pro-life movement. The Church’s constant teaching has been that the death penalty is a legitimate form of punishment by the state. If favoring the death penalty makes one “not pro-life,” then the Church could be considered such.

A person can/is considered “pro-life” if they are opposed to abortion on demand which is what Donald Trump is saying.

 

[YADA]

Donald Trump is in favor of the death penalty and therefor not pro-life.

There are no pro-life candidates this time around.

-Tim-

The death penalty and abortion are not equal - one [abortion] is intrinsically evil … the catechism has not changed … and I speak as one against the death penalty …

I live in Oregon - since 1977 - 2 people have been executed - 39 years … 2 in 39 years!
In 2011 alone - In Oregon there were 14,000 plus babies executed by abortion … that’s 14,000+ in one single year!

I am both against the death penalty and abortion … I work on both issues - but which issue is the one that deserves the greatest attention and work … the issue that probably will not result in a single death or the one that will erase the population of a small city?

People used to say that abortions should rare … the Death Penalty is in fact very rare.

 

[Bruised_Reed]

He claims to be pro-life but that doesn’t mean he is. He is parroting the Republican party line but he is not truly against abortion. Anyone who believes he is pro-life or against abortion is a fool and you scare me and make me despair for the future.

 

[Moneyball]

The good news is that it’s become extremely difficult for a Republican to win the nomination if he or she does not profess a pro-life stance, the bad news is that this does not stop pro-choice candidates from lying in order to get elected.

I have followed this election very closesly (especially close for a Canadian) and there is little doubt in my mind that Trump is not only not pro-life, but that he does not hold a sincere faith in Christ.

 

[Kelfa28]

The good news is that it’s become extremely difficult for a Republican to win the nomination if he or she does not profess a pro-life stance, the bad news is that this does not stop pro-choice candidates from lying in order to get elected.

I have followed this election very closesly (especially close for a Canadian) and there is little doubt in my mind that Trump is not only not pro-life, but that he does not hold a sincere faith in Christ.

And?

Ted Cruz’s beliefs scare me just as much, if not more so then Trump. He is Pentecostal and I’ve seen some of his father’s preaching.

It’s really out there…their views on Christianity are skewed at best.

I don’t trust Cruz as far as I could throw him. I think he’d make a terrible, terrible president and I believe he’d go back on literally everything he is claiming he’d do.

Most importantly…his immigration policies stop me in my tracks. I would never, ever vote for that.

Paul Ryan made claims that he is very pro-life. He’s also lied to our faces out everything he promised he’d do.

Trump claims he is pro-life. That is good enough for me…seeing that no one is truly pro-life and wouldn’t repeal roe v wade anyway.

Mostly…I want Trump in because his platform is to stop immigration, build a wall and start deporting people.

That is exactly what I want to see and exactly what I want for a president.

 

[Barb3]

There is no way I could vote for anyone who was pro-choice – I have three adopted children in my family and if their mothers had gone to Planned Parenthood they would not be a part of my family!!!

 

[YADA]

There is no way I could vote for anyone who was pro-choice – I have three adopted children in my family and if their mothers had gone to Planned Parenthood they would not be a part of my family!!!

Adoption - the loving “Choice” … thank you and Bless your family :clapping: and bless those mothers who made such a courageous decision to love rather than destroy their babies …

 

[Tim_D]

Trump claims he is pro-life. That is good enough for me…seeing that no one is truly pro-life and wouldn’t repeal roe v wade anyway.

If Roe vs. Wade is ever overturned in this country it will be by the Supreme Court, not the president of the United States. Looking for a candidate who will “repeal Roe v. Wade” is silly and shows a fundamental misunderstanding of how government works.

People scream because they claim that President Obama is a “dictator,” but don’t have a problem if their guy will just legislate anything and everything from the Oval Office.

 

[Kelfa28]

If Roe vs. Wade is ever overturned in this country it will be by the Supreme Court, not the president of the United States. Looking for a candidate who will “repeal Roe v. Wade” is silly and shows a fundamental misunderstanding of how government works.

People scream because they claim that President Obama is a “dictator,” but don’t have a problem if their guy will just legislate anything and everything from the Oval Office.

True…but it’s up to the president and the house to decide who actually makes that decision.

We either find someone who will pick a Supreme Court Justice like Scalia or hand it to the Dems…like Obama or Hillary and watch them pick another “winner” like the last two gems he graced our court system with.

 

[dmar198]

He changed his mind to pro life.

This video comes from after his change. It indicates that he is still pro-choice even though he calls himself pro-life.

He’s been saying that for months. Not just once or twice but dozens of times.

Right. He says he has become prolife, but in the recent video linked in the OP he still says abortion should be legal. His current position is that abortion should be legal up to an unspecified point in the pregnancy. After that it should only be legal in the caveat cases. That’s basically the pro-choice position, and he merely Calls it prolife.

 

[YADA]

If Roe vs. Wade is ever overturned in this country it will be by the Supreme Court, not the president of the United States. Looking for a candidate who will “repeal Roe v. Wade” is silly and shows a fundamental misunderstanding of how government works.

People scream because they claim that President Obama is a “dictator,” but don’t have a problem if their guy will just legislate anything and everything from the Oval Office.

To get cases before the supreme court will take legislation and litigation … like when the republicans passed the Infants Born Alive Act in 2002 & the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act in 2003 - both of which were signed into law by a Republican President, The Partial Birth Abortion Ban was upheld by the US Supreme Court in 2007 … Good luck getting any laws reducing abortion with a Pro-Abortion Clinton or Sanders sitting in the Oval Office … any legislation would suffer the fate of the 1995 Partial Birth Abortion Ban - which passed again by republicans was vetoed by Bill Clinton …

People always say - see the republicans have not stopped abortions - it doesn’t matter … but the reality is - it does matter … it matters in that the chance of getting a pro-life justice on the court - while not assured - is far more likely with a republican in office than a Pro-Abortion democrat … It matters because without a republican President pro-life laws will not be signed into law - even if there are pro-life majorities in both the House and Senate …

And its a fact that reublicans placed their political careers on the line in both 1995 and 2003 in order to push through a bill that should not even be necessary in this country - to STOP the dismemberment of innocent children in the womb inorder to extract them …

You can throw stones at republicans …But can you name any one piece of pro-life legislation passed by the democrats or signed by a democratic president? Just one … I am patient - I will wait while you search … How does your Catholic Christian Heart beat with great pride, love and passion when you read the Democratic Party Platform on Abortion … I hear you say “You go Dems! Yeah Team! … Feel the Bern little babies as you are ripped from the womb!!! … and - Yes - Hillary is advocating for all women … just not you little unborn girl … but if you are lucky enough to make it …Hil has your back”

 

[Moneyball]

And?

Ted Cruz’s beliefs scare me just as much, if not more so then Trump. He is Pentecostal and I’ve seen some of his father’s preaching.

It’s really out there…their views on Christianity are skewed at best.

I don’t trust Cruz as far as I could throw him. I think he’d make a terrible, terrible president and I believe he’d go back on literally everything he is claiming he’d do.

Most importantly…his immigration policies stop me in my tracks. I would never, ever vote for that.

Paul Ryan made claims that he is very pro-life. He’s also lied to our faces out everything he promised he’d do.

Trump claims he is pro-life. That is good enough for me…seeing that no one is truly pro-life and wouldn’t repeal roe v wade anyway.

Mostly…I want Trump in because his platform is to stop immigration, build a wall and start deporting people.

That is exactly what I want to see and exactly what I want for a president.

You can vote for whoever you want, I’m not trying to change anyone’s mind.

I live in Canada, and I just want everyone to know that while the pro-life movement in the US has made great strides, don’t make the same mistake as us by placing abortion as a secondary issue. It’s gotten to the point now that to even bring up the topic of abortion in Parliament can get you fired.

The way I see it, a vote for Trump is an open declaration that abortion is not a major election issue… atleast Cruz and Rubio are principaled pro-life conservatives, they both have a strong track record in being consistent on this issue… Trump on the other hand, not so much.

 

[Kelfa28]

You can vote for whoever you want, I’m not trying to change anyone’s mind.

I live in Canada, and I just want everyone to know that while the pro-life movement in the US has made great strides, don’t make the same mistake as us by placing abortion as a secondary issue. It’s gotten to the point now that to even bring up the topic of abortion in Parliament can get you fired.

The way I see it, a vote for Trump is an open declaration that abortion is not a major election issue… atleast Cruz and Rubio are principaled pro-life conservatives, they both have a strong track record in being consistent on this issue… Trump on the other hand, not so much.

For me…Abortion takes a back seat to immigration and our economy.

I will vote for a candidate that claims to be pro-life and leave it at that. I’m far, far more concerned about my country being completely taken over by illegal and legal immigrants who drive down our economy and steal jobs.

Rubio and Cruz have made it crystal clear that they do not care about immigration…especially Rubio.

No way would I vote for either of them because of that alone.

 

[Moneyball]

True…but it’s up to the president and the house to decide who actually makes that decision.

We either find someone who will pick a Supreme Court Justice like Scalia or hand it to the Dems…like Obama or Hillary and watch them pick another “winner” like the last two gems he graced our court system with.

Trump has gone on record saying that his sister is a terrific judge and that she would do a great job on the Supreme Court… she supports partial birth abortion.

 

[Tablefor9]

For me…Abortion takes a back seat to immigration and our economy.

I will vote for a candidate that claims to be pro-life and leave it at that. I’m far, far more concerned about my country being completely taken over by illegal and legal immigrants who drive down our economy and steal jobs.

Rubio and Cruz have made it crystal clear that they do not care about immigration…especially Rubio.

No way would I vote for either of them because of that alone.

Wow.