Elections

Trump Criticizes Carson For Flip-Flopping On Abortion [VIDEO]

Steve Guest Media Reporter
Font Size:

Donald Trump blasted Ben Carson for flip-flopping on abortion, suggesting that “he was pro-abortion not so long ago… And all of a sudden, he’s so hard on abortion under no circumstances virtually can there be exceptions.” (RELATED: Carson: No Abortion In Cases Of Rape Or Incest)

Trump, appearing on “Morning Joe” Tuesday, was asked by panelist Willie Geist to explain Carson’s rise in the polls in Iowa and said, “I don’t get it, to be honest with you. You look at different things having to do with Ben and there’s a lot of contradiction and a lot of questions.” (RELATED: Iowa Polls Show Ben Carson With Double-Digit Lead Over Donald Trump)

“One thing about a front-runner you get analyzed 15 different ways from China. And a lot of things will come out,” Trump explained. “Ben was, he was pro-abortion not so long ago as everybody has told me. I don’t know it personally, but that’s what I’m told. And all of a sudden, he’s so hard on abortion under no circumstances virtually can there be exceptions.”

“And you say, well how does that happen? Where you were pro and not long ago by the way and then all of a sudden you can’t even have exceptions,” suggested Trump. “So that’s an unusual stance and I think people will look at that and they will look at lots of other things including you know what happened in hospitals and what he was working on and a lot of thing I hear. I just don’t actually get it. But I give credit but I don’t get it.”

Trump stated in 1999 on “Meet the Press” that he was “very pro choice,” and that he would not ban partial birth abortion. But at the first GOP debate Trump changed his position, saying, “I am very, very proud to say that I am pro-life.”

Tim Russert: Partial-birth abortion. The eliminating of abortion in the third trimester. Big issue in Washington. Would President Trump ban partial-birth abortion.

Donald Trump: Well look, I’m, I’m, very pro-choice. I hate the concept of abortion. I hate it. I hate everything it stands for. I cringe when I listen to people debating the subject. But you still, I just believe in choice. And again, it may be a little bit of a New York background because there is some different attitude in different parts of the country, and you know I was raised in New York and grew up and work and everything else in New York City. And I am strongly for choice, and yet I hate the concept of abortion.

Russert: But you would not ban it or ban partial-birth abortion?

Trump: No, I would not, I would not, I am, I am very pro-choice in every respect and as far as it goes, but I just hate it.

Follow Steve on Twitter