Trump to vote against Florida abortion measure following backlash,

 Following criticism from conservative supporters, Donald Trump said he would vote against a ballot measure in Florida- his home state- that would protect abortion rights.

The former president announced a day after an interview with NookHavenMedia News, where he apparently voiced support for the measure-a statement that drew open and stern criticism from anti-abortion activists.

Trump told Fox News on Friday that he still believes Florida's ban on abortions after six weeks is too harsh.

But he still would vote "no" on a measure that would amend the state's constitution to protect abortion rights.

"You need more time than six weeks," Trump said. "I've disagreed with that right from the early primaries when I heard about it."

 He then lied about how Democrats in this country supported allowing abortions up to any point in a pregnancy and used that as his explanation for voting against the ballot measure in Florida, where he registered to vote.

Although the state laws regarding abortions differ considerably among the US states, according to the non-profit health organization KFF, the procedures carried out after 21 weeks of pregnancy are few and related to fetal anomalies or threats to the mother's life. The decision from the Republican presidential nominee to vote against the Florida abortion measure comes just one day after he was asked by NookHavenMedia News how he would vote.

"I think the six weeks is too short," Trump said in an interview Thursday. "It has to be more time. I told them that I want more weeks."

"I am going to be voting that we need more than six weeks," he said when pressed.

In the meantime, his Democratic challenger, Vice-President Kamala Harris, was quick to weigh in on Trump's statement that he would vote to continue the ban on abortion in Florida, saying his support for such a move indicated he would continue his anti-abortion position.

"In just two months, the incumbent laid bare his views on a woman's right to choose. They're extreme: He'll vote to support an abortion ban this extreme — one that applies before many women even know they're pregnant," she said. 

Trump's comments open him to conservative criticism, 

Comments on Thursday - in which Trump appeared to be open to voting for the constitutional amendment - drew an intense rebuke from leaders of the anti-abortion movement, a crucial driver of conservative politics in the US.

"If Donald Trump loses, today is the day he lost," conservative pundit Erick Erickson wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

The dedicated pro-life community may be able to overlook, in part, the issue of national abortion. But for Trump to wade into Florida as he did will be a bridge too far for too many." Albert Mohler Jr, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, wrote on X that Trump's comments on reproductive rights, including on the six-week ban, "seem almost calculated to alienate pro-life voters".

Pro-life Christian voters are going to have to think clearly, honestly, and soberly about our challenge in this election - starting at the top of the ticket," he said.

After the Thursday NBC interview, the Trump campaign and his running mate JD Vance made public statements emphasizing that the former president had not yet made up his mind on the ballot initiative.

Mr. Vance said the former president will "make his own announcement on how he's going to vote" on the Florida measure that will be based on "his own judgment".

Trump has criticized Florida's six-week abortion ban before.

Last September he said Florida Governor Ron DeSantis made a "terrible mistake" signing the ban into law.

Mr DeSantis was challenging the former president in the Republican primary at the time. 

Abortion is a key issue in the 2024 US election:

The Harris campaign had already responded to Trump's comments by making clear they would make abortion rights central to their election effort.

Kevin Munoz, a campaign spokesperson, told reporters they would continue to frame it around the concept of freedom, a campaign theme: "Kamala Harris is going to fight for your rights. Donald Trump will take them away."

This year, the US Supreme Court overturned abortion rights in the US, sending the issue back to the states. Florida subsequently outlawed abortion after six weeks of pregnancy.

The constitutional amendment proposed by pro-reproductive freedom voters in Florida would not contain that number of weeks but would guarantee access to abortion before fetal viability, roughly at approximately 23-25 weeks of pregnancy.

The state, as it is, pretty much has an outright ban on abortion since most women do not even realize they are pregnant until about six weeks.

Opinion polls have shown that the pregnancy choice is supported by most Americans.

A July poll in the University of North Florida found out that 69% of the people who might vote would say yes to the Florida referendum; 23% would oppose it.

The political fallout after the Supreme Court put an end to Roe v Wade proved to be the political quandary that Trump hasn't fully addressed. Trump rode into the office with the backing of the religious right, which overwhelmingly favored curbs on the practice. During his first presidential campaign, he had promised to appoint Supreme Court justices who will reverse the constitutional right to abortion in the US.

He made good on that promise, putting three conservative justices onto the bench who voted to overturn Roe v Wade.

Trump has taken the position in his 2024 campaign that the question of abortion policy should be left to the states-a position which puts him in company with many conservatives looking to restrict the procedure nationwide.

But grassroots party members have rallied around the former president; this was apparent at the party's convention at the Republican National Convention in July.

But further complicating Trump's standing is his new proposal to make the government or insurance companies pay for in-vitro fertilisation (IVF).

Some anti-abortion and religious groups object to IVF out of concerns it destroys embryos.