For the first time in modern history, the Republican platform will not espouse pro-life priorities. Former President Donald Trump and his supporters at the Republican National Committee (RNC) have downplayed opposition to abortion in the official party platform adopted this week.
Party Platform Adoption
This week, the RNC adopted a party platform that aligns with Trump’s expressed preferences on abortion, which means that the Republican party’s official platform opposes a federal abortion ban and cedes power to the states in determining where to draw the line on legal abortion.
Historical Context
This is the first time in 40 years that the Republican party will not include a national abortion ban.
Influence of Trump
This significant change reveals the influence the Trump presence has had on the entire Republican party, as the decision to back off the ban did not originate or find many advocates from other historically pro-life and conservative candidates and groups.
Trump’s Strategy
Trump has said for months that he plans to avoid a confrontation on abortion language in his campaign, instead focusing on the victory of nominating Supreme Court judges who overturned Roe v. Wade, a contentious ruling that Trump said from the first debate stage that “all legal experts wanted overturned.”
2024 GOP Platform
The new GOP platform for 2024 is 16 pages, shorter than is customary, and is more ambiguous with less specific policy details on many of the party’s distinctive or controversial issues.
Strategic Ambiguity
This ambiguity strategically gives Democrats less ammunition for debates and attacks leading to the November election.
Defensive Approach
The defensive approach to the party platform is in response to attacks from the Biden campaign about the alleged policy initiatives Trump will implement if he takes office. These attacks point to a “Project 2025” document compiled by conservative policy leaders to guide change in the event of Trump’s potential win.
Biden Campaign Criticism
Biden supporters also point to Trump’s statements in support of imposing tariffs affecting many sectors of the economy, his likelihood of replacing federal workers with Trump supporters, and executing the most deportations in recent history.
Less Specific Platform
By enacting a less specific, less contentious party platform, the Biden campaign will have fewer concrete items to point to in its efforts to decrease support for Trump.
Right-to-Life Movement
While the platform does not support a federal abortion ban, it does continue the long history of the right-to-life movement to extend Constitutional rights to fetuses.
Faltering Support from Pro-Life Movement for Changes
Pro-life leaders have been critical of Trump’s move away from the core anti-abortion principles long held by many Republicans. Still, as of the adoption of the new platform, many of them unified in their support for Trump though his positions left much to be desired from their perspective.
Fourteenth Amendment Language
The document notably omits long-standing language supporting an “Amendment to the Constitution and legislation to make clear that the Fourteenth Amendment’s protections apply to children before birth.” The Fourteenth Amendment protection clause has accompanied every Republican party platform since 1984.
New Policy Statement
Instead of this statement, the 2024 policy document says, “We believe that the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States guarantees that no person can be denied life or liberty without due process.” The document adds that “states are…free to pass laws protecting those rights.”
