Paul Ryan Meets With Donald Trump: “I Was Very Encouraged With” His Pro-Life Views

National   |   Steven Ertelt   |   May 12, 2016   |   12:10PM   |   Washington, DC

House Speaker Paul Ryan met with Donald Trump today and said he cam away encouraged with the presumptive Republican presidential candidate’s views about pro-life issues, and specifically the Supreme Court. For pro-life voters there is no issue of greater importance than who determines the next few nominees on the Supreme Court, which will guide abortion policy and the fate of tens of millions of unborn children for decades.

Trump and Ryan met at the Republican National Committee’s headquarters Thursday morning, along with RNC Chairman Reince Priebus. In comments afterwards, Ryan said he was “very encouraged” with where Trump stands on pro-life issues and the high court:

Ryan said he sounded Trump out on his views on abortion, “limited government”, “the constitution”, and “executive power” and he found broad agreement.

The conversation was “personal,” Ryan said, suggesting that he probed for Trump’s heartfelt views on issues such as [abortion], a position to which Trump is a relatively recent arrival.

“We talked about life, the supreme court,” Ryan said. “I was very encouraged with what I heard from Donald Trump today.

“We are planting the seed to get ourselves unified to bridge the gaps and differences,” he said.

“It was our first meeting. I was very encouraged, but this is a process, it takes a little time.

After the meeting, Ryan and Trump released a joint statement:

SIGN THE PLEDGE: I Pledge to Vote for a Pro-Life Candidate for President

The United States cannot afford another four years of the Obama White House, which is what Hillary Clinton represents. That is why it’s critical that Republicans unite around our shared principles, advance a conservative agenda, and do all we can to win this fall. With that focus, we had a great conversation this morning. While we were honest about our few differences, we recognize that there are also many important areas of common ground. We will be having additional discussions, but remain confident there’s a great opportunity to unify our party and win this fall, and we are totally committed to working together to achieve that goal. We are extremely proud of the fact that many millions of new voters have entered the primary system, far more than ever before in the Republican Party’s history. This was our first meeting, but it was a very positive step toward unification.

On Tuesday night, Trump told Bill O’Reilly he would name pro-life judges to the highest court.

Asked what he would do to protect the “sanctity of human life,” Trump said it starts with the Supreme Court.

“I will protect it and the biggest way to protect it is through the Supreme Court and putting people in the court — and actually the biggest way to protect is electing me as president,” he said.

Trump went on to say that he favored overturning Roe v. Wade and that, “I will appoint Supreme Court judges who will be pro-life.” His comments, along with hiring a pro-life advocate as his domestic policy director, will go along way to assuring pro-life voters they can consider him in November.

If Trump is the nominee, he would present a stark contrast on abortion to pro-abortion Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Trump has specifically promised he would sign a bill as president to de-fund Planned Parenthood. In an interview with David Brody of CBN, Trump made that promise:

David Brody: “As a President Trump, if a bill came to your desk that would defund Planned Parenthood you would support that, you would sign that?”

Donald Trump: “Yes, because as long as they do the abortion I am not for funding Planned Parenthood… As long as they’re involved with abortion, as far as I’m concerned forget it, I wouldn’t fund them regardless. I would defund Planned Parenthood because of their view and the fact of their work on abortion…. I am for defunding Planned Parenthood as long as they are involved with abortion.”

As far as Trump’s comments on Planned Parenthood funding are concerned, Trump has fairly consistently said he opposes taxpayer funding but he’s also made some remarks about the “good things” Planned Parenthood does that have alarmed pro-life voters — as if any “good thing” could make up for the fact that planned Parenthood kills 330,000 unborn babies a year in abortions and then sells their body parts for profit.

Meanwhile, Trump said he thinks the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court case that ushered in an era of 48 million abortions was “wrongly decided.” Trump said he would appoint “very good judges” who would ultimately “change it” but he opposed Roe without specifically saying it should be overturned.

Here are some of the headlines we’ve carried at LifeNews.com in recent months that provide further details on what Trump has said regarding Planned Parenthood funding:

August 4: Donald Trump: Shut Down the Federal Government to De-Fund Planned Parenthood

August 11: Donald Trump: Planned Parenthood is an “Abortion Factory”

August 17: Donald Trump: Videos of Planned Parenthood Selling Aborted Babies Were “Disgusting,” De-Fund It

August 26: Donald Trump: Planned Parenthood is an “Abortion Factory” That Sells Baby Parts Like Automobiles

October 19: Donald Trump: “Planned Parenthood Should Absolutely be De-Funded”

December 2: Donald Trump: De-Fund Planned Parenthood and “Look Carefully at” Overturning Roe v. Wade

December 22: Donald Trump: Unless Planned Parenthood Stops Doing Abortions, We Should De-Fund It

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