Biden Blames Trump for Florida's Upcoming Six-Week Abortion Ban

President Joe Biden has blamed former President Donald Trump for Florida's upcoming six-week abortion ban and similar restrictions across the country, arguing that Trump's actions have created a "healthcare crisis for women." During a campaign stop in Tampa on Tuesday, Biden criticized Trump for appointing Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe v. Wade last year, enabling states to enact strict limits on abortion access.

"Because of the deals made by Donald Trump, MAGA extremists are literally taking us back 160 years," Biden said. "The upcoming six-week abortion ban in Florida is a direct result of Trump's Supreme Court appointees, who were behind the controversial decision to overturn the nationwide right to abortion."

Florida's six-week abortion ban is set to take effect on May 1, the same time that Florida voters will vote on a ballot measure to enshrine abortion rights in the state's constitution. Advocates say the issue cuts across party lines, and they are working to make the ballot measure as nonpartisan as possible to reach the 60% support needed for it to pass.

Why this matters: The upcoming U.S. general elections have made abortion rights a major issue, with Democrats seeking to capitalize on the topic. Biden's campaign believes that Florida, a key swing state, is winnable for the president despite Trump's previous victories there in 2016 and 2020.

Biden is seeking to energize Democratic voters and spur moderate voters, particularly women, to turn out against Trump. He promised that if re-elected, he and Vice President Kamala Harris would make Roe v. Wade the law of the land again, though that would require 60 votes in the Senate.

Meanwhile, Republicans have dismissed Biden's efforts to use abortion as a political weapon, arguing that other issues will matter more to voters in November. The Trump campaign responded to Biden's remarks by calling him and Democrats "radically out of touch" on the issue.

As the legal battles over abortion rights continue, Biden urged Florida voters to show up in November and widen abortion access in the state. "Millions of women are facing pain and cruelty due to these restrictions, but I believe they can be stopped by voting," he said. The president's visit to Florida is seen as an effort to boost his reelection bid in the battleground state, which he lost to Trump in 2020.

Key Takeaways

• Biden blames Trump's SCOTUS picks for Florida's 6-week abortion ban
• Florida to vote on ballot measure to enshrine abortion rights
• Biden seeks to energize Dems, sway moderates on abortion issue
• GOP dismisses Biden's use of abortion as a political weapon
• Biden urges Florida voters to vote to expand abortion access