On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump signed pardons for 23 people who had been convicted of protesting against abortion. The White House said these protesters were punished under the leadership of former President Joe Biden.
Trump explained that these protesters, many of whom are elderly, should not have been prosecuted for their actions. “This is a great honor to sign this,” Trump said during a ceremony at the White House. The protesters were described as “peaceful pro-life protesters,” but the White House did not provide many other details about their specific cases.
Why Were They Pardoned?
The protesters had been convicted for blocking access to abortion clinics, which is illegal. Trump’s decision to pardon them came just one day before a major anti-abortion march, called the “March for Life,” was set to take place in Washington, D.C. Trump, who has been a supporter of anti-abortion movements, planned to speak at the march through a video message, while Vice President JD Vance attended in person.
Trump’s Position on Abortion
Though Trump has supported the anti-abortion cause, he has not been very clear about his exact position on the issue recently. While many people on the Christian right want stricter rules on abortion, Trump has stated that he believes the decision about abortion should be left up to each state rather than being decided at the national level.
Trump has also claimed credit for the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision that overturned the nationwide right to abortion. Since that ruling, many states in the U.S. have placed restrictions on abortion.
More Pardons from Trump
This is not the first time Trump has issued pardons since starting his second term. On the very first day of his second term, he pardoned over 1,500 people who were involved in the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. This attack was led by supporters trying to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. The next day, he also pardoned two police officers convicted for the death of a 20-year-old Black man during a car chase in Washington, D.C. in 2020.
Trump’s pardons have been a significant part of his presidency, especially as he continues to support certain groups, like anti-abortion protesters, and also reaches out to his supporters through these
