BREAKING NEWSJ.D. Vance hints at tension between him and Donald Trump: Ive learned my lesson
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Sen. J.D. Vance says he wont try to speak for Donald Trump in the future after the vice presidential nominee expressed a contradicting viewpoint on a federal abortion ban.
The admission came after a moment at Tuesdays debate where the former president broke with his running mate and said they have not yet discussed a veto on banning abortion at a national level.
I think that Ive learned my lesson on speaking for the president before he and I have actually talked about an issue, Vance said in an interview with Meet the Press host Kristen Welker on Sunday morning.
The Ohio Senator said his point last month was to reiterate that Trump has been clear he does not support the idea of a national ban – but that he also thinks the issue would never cross his desk because it wouldnt get through Congress in the first place.
Sen. J.D. Vance says he learned my lesson about speaking publicly for Donald Trump before they spoke specifically about an issue after he said the former president would veto a national abortion bill if it hit his desk
Asked at the debate with Vice President Kamala Harris in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Tuesday if he would veto a bill putting a federal ban on abortions, Trump was noncommittal.
I wont have to, he insisted.
But when the ABC debate moderator Linsey Davis pressed him on Vances remarks just weeks earlier, the ex-president broke with his running mate
I didnt discuss it with J.D. in all fairness, Trump said on stage. J.D. – and I dont mind if he has a certain view – but I think he was speaking for me. But I really didnt.
Vance said in an August interview with Welker that he thinks Trump would not sign a bill regulating pregnancy terminations at the national level. And he reiterated on Sunday that a national abortion ban is not on the table.
I think hes been clear, he wouldnt support it. I mean he said that explicitly, the Republican vice presidential nominee said last month.
I mean if youre not supporting it as President of the United States, you fundamentally have to veto it, he added.
Pressed for a final time on whether Trump would veto the proposal, Vance said: I think he would. He said that explicitly that he would.
Trump was noncommittal at Tuesdays debate with Kamala Harris when asked if he would veto an abortion ban – but maintained that he does not support the idea of regulating pregnancy termination on a federal level
Now, Vance is walking that back but maintaining that the GOP 2024 ticket is not in favor of a national abortion ban.
We hadnt discussed it. We still havent discussed it, by the way. Because its not realistic, Vance said on Sunday.
Hes been incredibly clear that he doesnt support a national abortion ban, the senator said of Trump. He wants abortion policy to be made by the states. Because he thinks, look, Alabama is going to make a different decision from California and thats OK. Were a big country, we can disagree.
I think President Trump has been clear – a national abortion ban is not on the table. He wouldnt support it, he wouldnt sign it, Vance concluded.
