Meet the Press interview: refuses to commit on abortion ban, repeats 2020 election lies
In his first Sunday show interview since leaving office, Trump sat down with new NBC host Kristen Welker. He refused to commit to supporting a 15-week federal abortion ban, calling DeSantis's 6-week ban 'a terrible mistake' and angering anti-abortion groups. He repeated false claims about the 2020 election, refused to rule out pardoning himself, and dismissed concerns about his rhetoric inspiring violence. The interview highlighted his continued grip on the GOP primary despite four criminal indictments.
“I'm not going to say I would or I wouldn't.” — On whether he'd support a 15-week federal abortion ban, Meet the Press, September 17, 2023 Quote verified against source
Analysis Feed
AI commentaryThe interview showed Trump's political calculation on abortion—avoiding commitment that could hurt him in a general election while still taking credit for overturning Roe. His criticism of DeSantis's 6-week ban as 'a terrible mistake' was strategic positioning, but angered anti-abortion activists who expected full support for federal restrictions.