Former lieutenant general and potential Republican pick for vice president, Michael Flynn, told ABC News Sunday he supports abortion.
“Women should be able to choose,” Flynn began. “Women are so important in that decision making process. They are the ones to make that decision, because they are the ones who are going to decide to bring up that child or not.”
Donald Trump has changed his views on abortion from an initial pro-life stance throughout most of his business career, to a careful approach more in step with the conservative base of the Republican Party.
“Planned Parenthood should absolutely be defunded. I mean, if you look at what’s going on with that, it’s terrible. And many of the things should be defunded and many things should be cut,” Trump told Fox News in October of 2015, very early in the primary process.
“As far as Planned Parenthood is concerned, I’m pro-life. I’m totally against abortion, having to do with Planned Parenthood. But millions and millions of women — cervical cancer, breast cancer — are helped by Planned Parenthood,” Trump added during a debate in February.
Trump even previously mentioned the punishment of women who obtain abortions. “Well, people in certain parts of the Republican Party and conservative Republicans would say, ‘yes, they should be punished,’” Trump said after MSNBC host Chris Matthews pushed the issue.
Trump revised his stance in April by announcing he wants to change the official party platform to allow for abortions in cases of rape or incest, a common refrain among Republican policitians.
Flynn is one of a large number of names suggested for vice president. Gov. Mike Pence is one of the top contenders, along with former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, Gov. Chris Christie and Rep. Marsha Blackburn.
Flynn is the only potential VP pick to exhibit such a liberal stance on abortion.
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