Mike Pence opposes RFK Jr. for HHS because of support for abortion access

[ad_1] Former Vice President Mike Pence, who didn't endorse or help President-elect Donald Trump throughout the 2024 election cycle, mentioned Friday that he opposes Trump's selection of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as secretary of the Division of Well being and Human Providers due to Kennedy's help for abortion entry.

Pence mentioned in an announcement that selecting Kennedy is a departure from what he framed because the Trump-Pence administration's basic opposition to abortion entry.

"I consider the nomination of RFK Jr. to function Secretary of HHS is an abrupt departure from the pro-life file of our administration and ought to be deeply regarding to thousands and thousands of Professional-Life People who've supported the Republican Celebration and our nominees for many years," Pence wrote.

Mike Pence attends on the U.S. Capitol's Statuary Corridor, Could 16, 2024.

Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Name, Inc by way of Getty Photos

Pence claimed that Kennedy, for many of his profession, has supported positions resembling "abortion on demand throughout all 9 months of being pregnant" and restoring Roe v. Wade.

“The professional-life motion has all the time seemed to the Republican occasion to face for all times, to affirm an unborn youngster has a elementary proper to life which can't be infringed,” Pence wrote.

"On behalf of tens of thousands and thousands of pro-life People, I respectfully urge Senate Republicans to reject this nomination and provides the American individuals a pacesetter who will respect the sanctity of life as secretary of Well being and Human Providers," he added.

Throughout his 2024 run, Trump mentioned legal guidelines surrounding abortion entry ought to be left as much as particular person states to determine.

Kennedy’s personal place on abortion had lacked some readability all through his unbiased presidential marketing campaign, which he suspended in August as he endorsed Trump.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., speaks earlier than Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at a marketing campaign occasion Nov. 1, 2024, in Milwaukee.

Morry Gash/AP

He mentioned at one level that he opposed the Supreme Courtroom's resolution to overrule Roe v. Wade, and in a single interview he argued that "we now have to depart it to the ladies quite than the state."

In 2023, he instructed NBC Information he would signal a federal ban on the process after three months, however his marketing campaign later walked again the feedback, saying he “misunderstood” the query. In Could 2024, he mentioned he advocates a lady’s proper to decide on an abortion at any level throughout her being pregnant.

He later wrote in a put up on X, after some blowback, that he “would permit applicable restrictions on abortion within the ultimate months of being pregnant, simply as Roe v. Wade did.” And in June, he wrote on social media, “Abortion has been a notoriously divisive difficulty in America, however truly I see an rising consensus: that abortion ought to be authorized up till a sure variety of weeks, and restricted thereafter.”

Some teams that oppose abortion entry have additionally criticized Trump’s resolution to choose Kennedy.

President-elect Donald Trump speaks throughout an America First Coverage Institute gala at his Mar-a-Lago property, Nov. 14, 2024, in Palm Seaside, Fla.

Carlos Barria/Reuters

In an announcement to ABC Information, Susan B. Anthony Professional-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser mentioned her group has "considerations" about Kennedy main HHS.

"There is no query that we'd like a pro-life HHS secretary, and naturally, we now have considerations about Robert F. Kennedy Jr.," Dannenfelser wrote. "I consider that irrespective of who's HHS secretary, baseline insurance policies set by President Trump throughout his first time period shall be re-established."

Teams that help abortion entry have additionally criticized Trump's choice of Kennedy.

Mini Timmaraju, CEO of Reproductive Freedom for All, wrote in an announcement Thursday, “Trump ran on a promise to not ban abortion nationwide, however his cupboard nominees are Mission 2025 come to life. RFK Jr. is an unfit, unqualified extremist who can't be trusted to guard the well being, security, and reproductive freedom of American households.”