Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, second among candidates seeking the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, said he does not favor prosecuting women who have abortions in states where the procedure is banned.
In April, DeSantis signed a bill that prohibits abortions in Florida after six weeks, unless the life of the mother is in jeopardy. Abortions for pregnancies involving rape, incest, or human trafficking would be allowed up until 15 weeks, provided a woman has documentation such as a restraining order or police report.
Many state restrictions on abortions make the procedure a crime for doctors, not patients. South Carolina, Oklahoma, and Nevada are the only states that have laws where self-managed abortions are criminalized, according to the American Bar Association.
When asked if he favors punishing women who violate abortion bans, DeSantis said in an interview with NBC News broadcast Monday, "Not at all."
"No, I don't think this is an issue about the woman," DeSantis said. "I think a lot of these women, you know, are in very difficult circumstances. They don't get any support from a lot of the fathers.
"And a lot of them, the number one reason why women choose to have an abortion is because they're not getting support and they feel abandoned. Now, in Florida we've provided support, and we've put our money where our mouth is, but at the end of the day, you know, I would not support any penalties on a woman."
DeSantis is trailing former President Donald Trump by a wide margin in the race for the 2024 GOP nod. Trump has said he favors restricting abortion at 15 weeks. DeSantis was asked if elected president whether he would veto a federal bill banning abortion nationwide.
"We will be a pro-life president, and we will support pro-life policies," he said. "I would not allow what a lot of the left wants to do, which is to override pro-life protections throughout the country, all the way up really to the moment of birth in some instances, which I think is infanticide."