Former President Donald Trump has declared his intention to vote against a Florida ballot measure aimed at safeguarding abortion rights. This decision follows a recent backlash from conservative supporters after Trump initially appeared to support the measure in a televised interview.

In his latest remarks to Fox News, Trump criticized Florida's current abortion ban, which prohibits abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, as being too restrictive. Despite this, he confirmed that he would vote against the proposed amendment to the state constitution that seeks to protect abortion rights.

"I believe six weeks is not enough time," Trump stated. "I've disagreed with this policy since the early primaries." He also claimed that Democrats advocate for unrestricted abortions throughout pregnancy, using this as part of his rationale for opposing the ballot measure.

Abortion regulations vary significantly across the United States, with procedures after 21 weeks being rare and typically reserved for cases involving serious fetal anomalies or threats to the mother's health.

Trump's announcement has intensified criticism from conservative leaders who view his comments as a betrayal. "If Donald Trump loses, today is the day he lost," conservative commentator Erick Erickson remarked. Albert Mohler Jr., president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, echoed this sentiment, suggesting Trump's stance might alienate pro-life voters.

Following a previous interview in which Trump seemed open to supporting the amendment, his campaign and running mate JD Vance have since stated that Trump would make his voting decision based on his own judgement.

Trump has previously criticized Florida's six-week abortion ban, calling it a "terrible mistake" made by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a rival in the Republican primary.

The 2024 presidential election is seeing abortion rights as a central issue, with Trump’s Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, emphasizing the stark contrast between her stance and Trump’s. Harris’s campaign has framed the issue around the theme of personal freedoms, asserting that Trump seeks to restrict these rights.

The US Supreme Court's 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade left abortion regulations to individual states. Consequently, Florida enacted its strict abortion ban. The proposed amendment aims to protect abortion access until about 23-25 weeks of pregnancy, a significant increase from the current six-week limit.

Recent polls show broad support for the Florida ballot measure, with 69% of likely voters in favor and 23% opposed. This reflects the ongoing debate and political challenges surrounding abortion policy, an issue that continues to shape Trump's campaign and his relationships with various voter groups.

Trump’s evolving position on abortion, coupled with his recent proposal to fund in-vitro fertilization (IVF), further complicates his standing within the conservative base, which has traditionally been critical of IVF due to its use of embryos.

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