WASHINGTON — Donald Trump surrogate and former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin believes the Republican presumptive nominee should not change the party platform on abortion as he previously said.
During an interview with the “Today” show on April 21 Trump said he would “absolutely” want to change the GOP platform on abortion so “exceptions” could be made in cases of rape, incest, and the life of the mother.
Trump specifically said, “Yes I would. Absolutely, for the three exceptions, I would,” he said.
Trump was then pressed further and asked if he would make an exception to protect the “health” of the mother. “I would leave it for the life of the mother, but I would absolutely have the three exceptions.”
Conservatives reacted negatively toward Trump’s response and became suspicious of what else he would like to see changed on the platform as well.
CNN’s Jake Tapper asked Palin Monday if she agreed with Trump on his call to change the platform on the abortion exceptions.
“I don’t want the platform to change, no. That culture of life that will be built upon the pro-life views that the majority of conservatives and Republicans hold, I respect that. I — there’s — I don’t think that there’s a need for that to change. But, when it comes to abortion, it’s very sensitive. It’s very — it’s such a personal issue. I think that the plank in the platform is the way it should be. And I respect and support and want it to stay that way,” Palin said.
She explained, “And when we can conclude that the plank of the platform is fine as is, then we can start talking about what people are really concerned about in this nation, concerned about in this election. And that is, as I have said, debt, open borders, illegal immigrants coming on over and receiving freebies left and right, instead of our own people, especially our vets, being able to receive the benefits that they have earned, growing government, that intrusion that the failed liberal agenda so perpetuates. That’s what people want to talk about.”
RNC Chairman Reince Priebus suggested Trump is not attempting to change the party platform. Priebus told radio host Mike Gallagher Monday, “Number one, Donald Trump is not wanting to rewrite the platform, OK? So all that anxiety, just take it off the table. So, not willing to do that, but, you know, but, get into that, tell people that. That you don’t want rewrite, you like — you appreciate and agree with the platform the way it is.”
However, RNC Convention Platform Committee member Sandra McDade is concerned. McDade told The Daily Caller that a deal was struck between the embattled conservative organization Eagle Forum president Phylis Schlafly and Trump when it came to the GOP position on abortion.
“Well I think a lot of us on [the platform committee] are very concerned that Donald Trump is planning to do what he promised Phylis Schlafly he would not do which is do away with our pro-life plank,” McDade told TheDC, explaining that Schlafly gave her endorsement to the New York billionaire when she felt comfortable that he would not change or do away with the plank completely.