Since he’s become the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, pro-life voters are starting to move in Donald Trump’s direction — especially knowing the alternative is abortion activists Hillary Clinton. But many pro-life voters and some pro-life leaders remain skeptical about supporting Trump given some of his misstatements and past support for abortion.
To gain a better understanding and insight on his abortion views and to potentially be able to endorse his candidacy, a group of top pro-life leaders plan to meet with Trump this month. On Tuesday, June 21, national Christian conservative leaders will gather in New York City for a private summit with the businessman to meet with him regarding issues of importance to the pro-life community.
Ohio Right to Life President Mike Gonidakis has been invited to attend the meeting as a representative of Ohio’s pro-life movement. He told LifeNews.com that he hopes to be able to get Trump to understand the importance of pro-life issues to voters and to defeating Clinton.
“After seven long years of pro-abortion policies and hundreds of millions of our tax dollars poured into Planned Parenthood’s coffers, it is critical for Mr. Trump to understand the positive impact a pro-life president can make to save lives,” said Gonidakis. “Ohio is the key battleground state and engaging our state’s social conservatives must be priority number one for Trump to win Ohio.”
Gonidakis told LifeNews.com that the goal of the meeting is to seek unity by allowing pro-life leaders and Trump to learn more about each other. The group will not be making any joint or collective endorsements, decisions or statements.
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“As we consider the candidacy of radical pro-abortion nominee Hillary Clinton, the pro-life community is looking for assurance that they have a pro-life alternative,” said Gonidakis. “Human lives hang in the balance. Ohio Right to Life is committed to getting Election 2016 right, and we believe this meeting will go a long way in ensuring that we do.”
Students for Life of America president Kristan Hawkins will also be attending the meeting. She wrote about the meeting at LifeNews:
A couple of weeks ago, I was presented with the opportunity to join with other key leaders in both the pro-life and Christian spheres to convene a meeting this June with Donald Trump and Dr. Ben Carson, so I took it. It’s just that – a meeting, or rather, a conservation where no big rallies or speeches will happen, but where a constructive dialogue will hopefully take place as we are able to share our deep concerns.
While I know many feel conflicted right now about the upcoming election, we all agree that this November could change the trajectory of legal abortion in our nation. Planned Parenthood must be held accountable and at the very least, and be defunded of our taxpayer dollars. The Supreme Court must have a pro-life jurist replace Justice Scalia.
This may be our only opportunity to sit with the potential leader of the free world and impress upon him the importance of sticking to his promises in helping us to end abortion and educate him on how to talk about our “issue” in a loving and compassionate, yet effective way.
Recently, Trump released a well-received list of 11 potential Supreme Court nominees — a list pro-life groups hailed for having strong supporters of the Constitution. Trump also recently hired a key pro-life advocate has his domestic policy director.
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
