Title: J.D. Vance: The Link Between Trump and Project 2025’s Anti-Abortion Agenda
Introduction:
Donald Trump’s attempt to distance himself from Project 2025, a conservative playbook for a new Trump administration, is being called into question. Despite claiming that the project went “way too far” on abortion, Trump’s selection of Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance as his running mate, a staunch anti-abortion advocate, suggests a connection between Trump’s platform and Project 2025’s agenda.
Fetuses and the 14th Amendment:
The Republican Party’s platform on abortion has undergone changes, with the latest version suggesting that fetuses and embryos already possess full constitutional rights under the 14th Amendment. This aligns with Project 2025’s roadmap and Vance’s views, indicating a growing implausibility in distinguishing Trump’s platform from Project 2025’s anti-abortion agenda.
The Rise of Fetal Personhood:
The concept of fetal personhood, which grants fetuses and embryos the same constitutional rights as people, has long been central to the GOP’s anti-abortion stance. While previous platforms proposed passing a “human life amendment” to the Constitution, the current platform implies that no new laws or amendments are necessary for fetuses to have constitutional rights. This shift in language reflects Project 2025’s objectives and Vance’s alignment with the movement.
Endorsements and Legal Strategies:
Anti-abortion organizations have celebrated the GOP platform’s affirmation of fetal personhood under the 14th Amendment. They view it as a significant step towards banning abortion nationwide. Recent rulings, such as the Alabama state Supreme Court’s recognition of frozen embryos as “children,” further support the legal strategy of establishing fetal personhood.
Trump-Vance on Project 2025 and Abortion:
Despite Trump’s claims of distancing himself from Project 2025, his selection of Vance as his running mate suggests a connection between the two. Project 2025, drafted and edited by former Trump administration officials, outlines a roadmap to restrict abortion using federal regulatory processes. The playbook urges the next conservative administration to work with Congress and deploy existing federal powers to protect innocent life.
The Role of the Comstock Act:
Project 2025 proposes using the Comstock Act, a broad anti-vice law from 1873, to restrict abortion. Former Trump administration officials argue that the Department of Justice should enforce the criminal prohibitions in the Act against providers and distributors of abortion pills. This approach bypasses the need for a national abortion ban through Congress or an executive order.
Controversies and Clarifications:
Vance’s views on abortion have faced scrutiny, particularly regarding his support for the Supreme Court’s decision on mifepristone. However, other anti-abortion groups downplay this as a result of a “left-leaning gotcha interview.” Vance’s speech to the Teneo Network in 2021 reveals his clear stance on abortion advocacy, praising Texas S.B. 8 as a law that protects the rights of the unborn.
Conclusion:
The selection of J.D. Vance as Trump’s running mate raises questions about Trump’s supposed distancing from Project 2025. The alignment between Trump’s platform, Vance’s views, and Project 2025’s anti-abortion agenda suggests a connection that cannot be easily dismissed. The GOP platform’s affirmation of fetal personhood under the 14th Amendment and the proposed use of the Comstock Act highlight the potential strategies to restrict abortion in the future.
