Trump Says He'll Be Pro-Life MWF, Pro-Choice Rest of Week

Candidate Stakes Out New Position

Again shifting his stance on reproductive rights, Donald Trump said today that if elected president he would be firmly against abortion on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and just as staunchly for it on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

The Republican candidate has been struggling to rebrand himself on the issue since polls showed rival Kamala Harris gaining traction with voters, especially women, with her strong pro-choice stance.

Before running for president, Trump declared himself pro-choice, but then aligned himself with the increasingly shrill pro-life stance of his party. He often took the position that the Supreme Court’s overturning of the landmark Roe-vs.-Wade decision had left the abortion issue up to the states, in keeping with the principles of democracy.

But that didn’t fly out on the hustings, said a Trump adviser who requested anonymity and a drink. “The hard-core MAGA base is fanatical about abortion,” he said, “But most folks want access to it.”

In the last week, Trump has struggled to find a comfortable position. “What if I just declare myself neutral?” Trump asked his advisers several days ago. “What if I say to the American people, ‘Look, I don’t really give a shit one way or the other. Why don’t we have a referendum and you guys decide?’”

In a meeting that lasted long into the night, Trump’s campaign team convinced the candidate that such a move would not enhance the image they were trying to craft of him as a bold and decisive leader.

Reaction to Trump’s announcement was mixed among his supporters. Randall Skedborg, a Trump voter from Miskonsin, Wisconsin, said, “I will loyally stick by Trump no matter what positions he takes. After all, he was sent by Jesus.” But the Rev. Ernest Ludge, an evangelistic chiropractor from Fort Bedlow, Alabama, burst into tears and could not be consoled.