In early 2020, Donald Trump became the first president to participate in the “March for Life” rally against the right to abortion held annually in Washington, the US capital. Throughout his tenure, the 45th President of the United States presented himself as an opponent of voluntary terminations of pregnancies. If he has since had to give way to Joe Biden, it is now that the consequences of this policy are being felt.
In 1973, with the famous Roe V. Wade decision, the Supreme Court affirmed that the American Constitution protected the right to have an abortion. States are therefore prohibited from adopting laws that might infringe this freedom. Almost 50 years later, the highest court accepted, this Monday, May 17, to examine a request which calls into question this principle.
The state of Mississippi has passed a bill that would ban abortions beyond 15 weeks of pregnancy, while this right is currently guaranteed as long as the fetus is not viable, between the 22nd and the 24th week. During his presidency, Donald Trump was able to appoint three judges to the Supreme Court following two deaths and one retirement. Along with them, six of the institution’s nine judges are conservative and have already expressed reservations about Roe V. Wade.
An almost total ban voted in Texas
The Supreme Court ruling could come as several Republican states grapple with reproductive rights. The governor of Texas signed this Wednesday, May 19 a law that would prevent abortions beyond the sixth week of pregnancy.
A deadline which generally corresponds to the first heartbeat of the fetus, an argument put forward by lawmakers in favor of these restrictions. However, many pregnant people do not find out until after this period.
