Trump defends his efforts to combat abortion

Former President Donald Trump on Saturday defended his efforts to limit abortion in a video address to the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition.

In his remarks, Trump cited his appointment of three justices (Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett) to the U.S. Supreme Court. All three voted in the majority in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that had legalized abortion nationally.

“Those justices delivered a landmark victory for protecting innocent life. Nobody thought it was going to happen,” the former president said.

Trump also said he had fulfilled his promises when it came to Iowans and also to conservative values.

“Together we achieved more for our values than any other administration in the history of our country, and it is not even close,“ he said, saying he took “historic action to protect the unborn.“ He also touted his support for “religious liberty“ and Israel.

On Thursday, Trump had been criticized by the Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America organization for saying abortion “is an issue that should be decided at the state level,” instead of being subject to a national ban. “President Trump’s assertion that the Supreme Court returned the issue of abortion solely to the states is a completely inaccurate reading of the Dobbs decision and is a morally indefensible position for a self-proclaimed pro-life presidential candidate to hold,” President Marjorie Dannenfelser said in a statement.

It's not clear when Trump made his remarks, but he didn't directly address Dannenfelser's criticism.

Former Vice President Mike Pence, who is expected to enter the 2024 presidential race, addressed the group in person in Clive, Iowa. In remarks that focused heavily on his own faith and devotion, Pence commended Trump for his Supreme Court appointments and explained his rationale for supporting American aid to Ukraine.

Other 2024 contenders who addressed the group included former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.