Former President Donald Trump stated he was “honored” to end Roe v. Wade during his presidency, tearing up progressives he accused of wanting “ninth month abortions” in a combative CNN interview last night.
“The fact that I was able to end Roe v. Wade after 50 years of trying. They’ve worked for 50 years — I’ve never seen anything like it,” he told interviewer Kaitlan Collins.
“I was so honored that I did it. Just because of what I was able to do, we are now in a very good negotiating position.’
Since many states are taking steps to restrict abortion rights after the Supreme Court ruled there is no constitutional right to abortion, Trump would not specify whether he would support a federal ban, or after how many weeks during a pregnancy he would support a ban, should he return to the office.
“I’m looking at a solution that’s going to work… You have people on both sides of a problem, but we’re in a very strong position right now. Pro-life people are in a strong position to make a deal that will be good and satisfying for them.
Trump continued, “You wouldn’t be having a discussion if you couldn’t get rid of Roe V. Wade… I consider the other side to be radical.
“Remember the debate with Hillary Clinton? They said that you need to pull the baby out of the womb at the end of the ninth month. They will kill the baby in the ninth month,” Trump said.
“These are the radical people. It’s not the pro-life people.’
“The fact that I was able to end Roe v. Wade after 50 years of trying. They’ve worked for 50 years — I’ve never seen anything like it,” Trump (L) told interviewer Kaitlan Collins (R)
The former president said pro-life people are “in a strong position to negotiate” and accused “the other side” of wanting “ninth month abortions”
Supporters of former US President and 2024 presidential hopeful Donald Trump gather to welcome him at Manchester Airport in Manchester, New Hampshire, on May 10, 2023
The CNN-Trump New Hampshire town hall event — the former president’s first interview with the network since 2016 — was a momentous occasion that drew supporters and opponents of the protagonist in droves.
His appearance on CNN comes at a time of shocking dualities — the Republican faces a crescendo of legal troubles but somehow seems in a stronger position than ever to become his party’s presidential nominee.
He had labeled CNN “fake news” and never interviewed any of his journalists when he was president.
But Trump’s campaign said he now appeared on the network to step outside of a GOP comfort zone, as he has already begun to turn his attention to a possible 2024 general election rematch with Democrat Joe Biden.
The result was a fiery debate with interviewer Collins.
One of the biggest points of discussion was the sexual assault case brought against him by writer E. Jean Carroll.
A federal jury in Manhattan found Tuesday that Trump sexually assaulted Carroll in the spring of 1996 in the dressing room of a luxury apartment store and awarded her $5 million for assault and libel.
Trump continued to deny the allegations and instead fired back at his accuser, claiming the judge omitted details about Carroll and stating that the case was politically motivated.
A Manhattan jury found sexually assaulted writer E. Jean Carroll. You denied this. But what do you say to the voters who say that makes you ineligible to be president?” CNN’s Kaitlan Collins asked.
“This woman, I don’t know her. I never met her. I have no idea who she is,” Trump said.
Last night’s CNN-Trump New Hampshire town hall event was the former president’s first interview with the network since 2016
When Collins asked if the jury’s decision in the E. Jean Carroll case would stop women from voting for him, Trump said, “No, I don’t think so.”
“I had a picture taken years ago with her and her husband, nice guy John Johnson.
“He was a newscaster, very nice man. She called him a monkey, African American happened to be. Called him a monkey – the judge wouldn’t let us put that in there.
Her dog or her cat was called vagina, the judge wouldn’t allow that to be put in it. All these things, he – but with her they can put it all in, ‘Access to Hollywood’ –
When asked if the jury’s decision would deter women from voting for him, the former president said, “No, I don’t think so.”
He went on to defend comments he made on the ‘Access Hollywood’ tape about being able to ‘grab women by the p****’.
The tape emerged in Trump’s tape deposition as part of the civil case with Carroll.
“There was a taped statement of yours from October, and you defended the comments you made on that ‘Access Hollywood’ tape about being able to grab women any way you want. Do you stick with those comments?’ Collins asked.
“I said women let you in,” Trump hit back.
“I didn’t say you… I said women let you. You didn’t use that word – but if you look, women let you in,” he continued.
“Now, they said, ‘Do you want to take that back?'” I said, look, this has been going on for a million years. I want to be honest, this is how it has been,” he added.
“You’d like me to take that back. I can’t take it back because it happens to be true,” Trump concluded.