Says women who have illegal abortions should face “some form of punishment”

In a March 30, 2016 MSNBC town hall, Trump was pressed by Chris Matthews on what should happen if abortion were made illegal and a woman obtained one anyway; after repeatedly dodging, Trump said that “there has to be some form of punishment” for the woman, suggesting that women themselves should be punished under a hypothetical abortion ban before later walking back the remark under intense criticism from both anti-abortion and abortion-rights groups.

"There has to be some form of punishment." — March 30, 2016 MSNBC town hall with Chris Matthews, answering what should happen to a woman who has an abortion if abortion were made illegal