Donald Trump is already a hero to many pro-life Americans for the appointment of Supreme Court judges in his first term, that would go on to overturn Roe vs Wade, the 1973 judgement that declared abortion to be a nationwide constitutional right in the US.
At the annual “March for Life” held in Washington last week, tens of thousands gathered to show their support for pro-life policies. Rather than resting on their laurels however, pro-life leaders are looking to encourage Trump and his new administration to take further action to end the practice of abortion.
Trump, while doing more for the pro-life cause than any president for at least 50 years, has been ambivalent about his own views on abortion, saying he believes it should be a matter for the states to decide, angering both those who want nationwide abortion access and those who want a nationwide ban.
While Trump may have ruled out a federal ban on abortion, pro-life activists hope the returning president will take other steps to reduce abortion, namely defunding Planned Parenthood.
Planned Parenthood conducts more than 300,000 abortions every year, more than any other provider in the US.
Kristan Hawkins, President of Students for Life of America (SFLA), told The Christian Post, “The number one job right now should be defunding and devouring Planned Parenthood. So we are going to have to convince President Trump to join us on that.”
Hawkins praised Trump for pardoning a number of pro-life activists who were jailed for attempting to physically block people from going to abortion clinics.
Hawkins, 39, is a good example of the increasingly pro-life stance taken by Millennials and Generation Z.
A poll commissioned by Demetree Institute for Pro-Life Advancement and YouGov found that 67% of registered voters in the US support limits on abortion, with only 9% supporting no limits at all on abortion.
Around 60% also said that human rights begin in the womb, with a quarter saying human rights began after birth.
