Trump gets hit from all sides for testing a softer abortion message 'in order to win'

WASHINGTON — The Republican knives are out for Donald Trump after he criticized anti-abortion legislation that conservative states across the country are pursuing, restrictions made possible by the three Supreme Court justices he chose as president.

GOP rivals, even some who rarely criticize him, are putting Trump on blast for calling six-week abortion bans “a terrible thing and a terrible mistake” on NBC’s "Meet The Press." Social-conservative activists are excoriating Trump’s comments as a betrayal after he refused in the interview to commit to federal abortion restrictions.

Trump’s remarks indicate that he will seek to downplay abortion in the general election, despite his role in the fall of Roe v. Wade, as he publicly concedes that it’s now a political loser for the GOP. “In order to win in 2024, Republicans must learn how to talk about Abortion. This issue cost us unnecessarily, but dearly, in the Midterms,” Trump wrote on his social media platform on Tuesday.

But President Joe Biden and Democrats are treating his newfound hesitations as a deceitful ploy to cover over a political vulnerability on abortion, one that they intend to exploit next fall.

“Let’s be clear: Donald Trump is responsible for ending Roe v. Wade. And if you vote for him, he’ll go even further,” Biden tweeted.

It’s far from clear that the torrent of Republican criticism for Trump will dent his large lead in the 2024 presidential primary. But it represents a new test — and opportunity — for Trump’s GOP skeptics to try and weaken him. Still, some GOP allies of Trump maintain that, regardless of his rhetoric, they’re optimistic he would sign federal abortion restrictions if he returns to the White House and Congress were to pass them.

Prominent abortion foe says 'Trump should not be the GOP nominee'

Leading the pushback to Trump was Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who signed his state’s six-week abortion ban after the fall of Roe v. Wade.

“I don’t know how you can even make the claim that you’re pro-life if you’re criticizing states for enacting protections for babies that have heartbeats,” DeSantis told Radio Iowa on Monday. “I think if he’s going into this saying he’s going to make the Democrats happy with respect to right to life, I think all pro-lifers should know that he’s preparing to sell you out.”

DeSantis’s remarks drew backing from Bob Vander Plaats, a prominent social-conservative activist based in Iowa, who praised the Florida governor's comments on social media, writing: “The scripture states out of the heart, the mouth speaks. I think @realDonaldTrump revealed his heart on @MeetThePress.”

Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., launched a rare criticism of Trump.

“President Trump said he would negotiate with the Democrats and walk back away from what I believe where we need to be, which is a 15-week limit on the federal level,” Scott said Monday at a Mason City, Iowa, town hall, adding that Republicans must impose some national restriction in order to “stop California, New York, Illinois, from having abortions on demand.”

Kim Reynolds, the popular Republican governor of Iowa, also chimed in to reject Trump's assertion and defend her state's restrictive abortion law.

Trump’s remarks drew blowback from anti-abortion advocates, who insist Republicans should fight to restrict abortion nationwide.

“We’re at a moment where we need a human rights advocate, someone who is dedicated to saving the lives of children and serving mothers in need. Every single candidate should be clear on how they plan to do that,” said Marjorie Dannenfelser, the president of SBA Pro-Life America. She said Congress should impose a 15-week ban as a “national minimum standard.”

Anti-abortion activist Lila Rose called the remarks “pathetic and unacceptable,” saying that Trump “wants to compromise on babies’ lives so pro-abort Dems ‘like him’” and added, “Trump should not be the GOP nominee.” Tony Perkins, who leads the Family Research Council, labeled Trump’s comments “not acceptable.” Trump's former lawyer Jenna Ellis said Perkins was being too kind to her former boss: “This is a non-negotiable issue,” she responded.

Students for Life Action’s Kristan Hawkins published a letter to Trump saying that his remarks were “tremendously discouraging” to activists and volunteers. “Heartbeat Laws are far from terrible. They should be an absolute minimum for any Republican candidate committed to protecting many from death by direct abortion.”

GOP senator says Trump is pursuing 'safer political ground' by downplaying abortion

After the pile-on, Trump took to social media Tuesday to remind his conservative critics he was responsible for building the Supreme Court that overturned Roe v. Wade, which occurred last year on a 5-4 vote with all three Trump appointees in the majority. While celebrating that achievement, he also expressed concerns about the politics of abortion for Republicans going forward.

“I was able to do something that nobody thought was possible, end Roe v. Wade. For 52 years, people talked, spent vast amounts of money, but couldn’t get the job done. I got the job done!” he wrote, arguing that “with Roe v. Wade no longer, the power to negotiate is with the Pro Life Movement.”

Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., said Trump’s abortion comments were “not surprising” and indicate that he’s already pivoting to the general election.

“He probably feels like that’s better political ground. And he’s probably right. That’s probably safer political ground,” Cramer said. “I think he’s largely on to the general election. He’s probably right to do that. I think that’s where he’s got the most work to do.”

“He’s certainly not as pro-life as I am, with a statement like that,” the senator added. “But on the other hand, if we have to fight these state by state, and we probably do, my state’s in pretty good shape.”

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said he'd “urge” Trump to support the 15-week federal abortion limit pushed by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.

“He was a very pro-life president,” Hawley said in an interview. “If he’s the nominee of the party, and I fully expect he’s going to be, then I will support him.”

Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., the chair of the GOP’s Senate campaign arm, said he favors some federal abortion restrictions: “Yeah, there should be limits on late-term abortion. Of course.”

But when asked about Trump’s refusal to commit to that, Daines, who has endorsed Trump, defended him. “President Trump did more for protecting the unborn than any president in modern history,” Daines said.

Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., who chairs his party's Senate campaign arm, said Democrats won’t let Trump backtrack on abortion.

“It’s pretty hard to move to the center when he is the man responsible for having Roe v. Wade overturned. We have to remember that the reason women have fewer reproductive rights in this country is because of Donald Trump. Full stop,” Peters said.

Peters indicated he doesn't doubt that Trump would sign federal abortion restrictions if given the opportunity.

“I don’t trust anything that Donald Trump says,” he said.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com