Trump Avoids Abortion, Tennessee Deportations, And Other Key Issues On The Campaign Trail

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Top line

Former President Trump has largely avoided commenting on some of the biggest political news and GOP talking points in recent campaign appearances such as abortion restrictions, the ousting of two Tennessee lawmakers or a wave of proposals state law targeting transgender people and drag performers and instead spoke about his poll numbers and the investigations into him.

Former President Donald Trump spoke to guests at the 2023 NRA-ILA Leadership Forum on April 14, … [+] 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The forum is part of the National Rifle Associations Annual Meetings & Exhibits which begins today and runs through Sunday.

Getty Images Basic Facts

In a speech to top Republican donors in Nashville on Saturday, Trump read positive poll numbers aloud, called for tighter border security, touted his accomplishments in office and briefly repeated false claims about in the 2020 presidential election, according to the Washington Post.

He completely ignored the topic of abortion, the Post reported, two days after Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.), who is expected to challenge Trump for the Republican nomination, a six-week abortion ban in his state (Trump has previously said abortion was poorly handled by many Republicans during the midterms that election).

Trump briefly mentioned wanting to keep men out of women’s sports, a reference to transgender athletes, though it wasn’t the focus of his remarks Saturday, the Post reported.

In a speech Friday at the annual meeting of the National Rifle Associations, Trump’s first since pleading not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records in Manhattan, the former president spent most of his time talking about his legal problems, including a lawsuit from New York Attorney General Letitia James, who also sued the NRA.

During the speech to the NRA, Trump briefly mentioned the recent shootings in Nashville and Louisville, but also said he would direct the Food and Drug Administration to investigate whether transgender hormone treatments make people more violent, a reference to the Nashville shooting, which police say was carried out by a transgender assailant (despite recent claims by GOP figures, shootings of transgender people are extremely rare).

On his Truth Social platform, Trump has posted messages in recent days touting his poll numbers and attacking James, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, President Joe Biden, DeSantis and other opponents but more at all he does not weigh the national conversation.

Trump did not speak at the Truth Social or in speeches about a pending court decision to restrict the common abortion drug mifepristone, even though the decision was written by a judge he appointed, or the two Tennessee Democratic state representatives. who was ousted by GOP lawmakers after protesting for gun reform in the wake of the Nashville shooting.

Key Background

Trump is vying for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, aiming to become the second president in US history to serve two non-consecutive terms. He is being challenged by former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and investment firm manager Vivek Ramaswamy. Sen. Tim Scott (R-South Carolina) launched a presidential exploratory committee this week, DeSantis is widely expected to announce a presidential run and former Vice President Mike Pence has openly considered a 2024 run. Trump remains ahead in an increasingly crowded field, leading DeSantis by double-digit margins in most polls while prospective candidates like Pence and Haley remain below 10%.

Tangent

Social Security and Medicare are two of Trump’s main focus topics, though he avoids many other hot-button issues. Last month, the former president criticized DeSantis for his past support of cuts to popular programs. Some of his other attacks on DeSantis have been less serious, with a new ad from a Trump-aligned super PAC attacking DeSantis’ record on Social Security and Medicare while focusing on a rumor that DeSantis eats of chocolate pudding with his fingers.

Surprising Facts

Trump isn’t the only major Republican to keep quiet about an attempt by Texas judges to strip federal approval of mifepristone (the Supreme Court granted a stay on the restrictions on Friday, allowing the pill’s use to continue temporarily) . House Speaker Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) and John Cornyn (R-Tex.), Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and DeSantis did not comment on the court’s decision after it was released.

What to Watch

Trump is facing criminal charges in Manhattan over hush money payments he made to porn star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 campaign, marking the first criminal prosecution of a former president in US history. He also spent nearly eight hours this week answering questions as part of a New York civil suit brought by James’ office, which alleges he inflated the value of many of his properties and assets. Meanwhile, Trump is being investigated by federal prosecutors over his actions leading up to the Jan. 6 riots and his handling of classified documents found in his possession after he left office, and prosecutors of the state in Atlanta is investigating him for actions he took to subvert the results of the 2020 election in Georgia.

Further Reading

Top RepublicansTrump, McCarthy, DeSantis and Greene All Silent On Abortion Drug Ban (Forbes)

Trumps 2024 GOP Competition: Launched by Sen. Tim Scott the Presidential Exploratory Committee (Forbes)

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