DeSantis Says He Supports Pro-life Policies but Won’t Punish Women

Ron DeSantis, a Republican running for president, said that he would not agree with punishing women who break laws against abortion.  

Dasha Burns from NBC asked DeSantis if he agreed with punishing people who break an abortion ban. “Not at all,” he said. I don’t think this is about the woman, so no. I think that you know, a lot of these women are in very hard situations. A lot of the fathers don’t help them out at all.

In a new NBC interview that aired Monday, Burns sat down with DeSantis and his wife, Casey DeSantis. The governor of Florida, who earlier this year banned abortions after six weeks, said that many women get abortions because they don’t have enough support. He also said that Florida has support for women.  

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He went on to say that the number one reason women choose to have an abortion is because they don’t get any help and feel alone. 

Now, in Florida, we’ve given help and put our money where our mouths are, but, you know, at the end of the day, I wouldn’t support any punishments for women. 

Burns also asked DeSantis if he would reject a federal bill that would ban abortions all over the country.

We will support pro-life policies and be a pro-life president, DeSantis said.  

Like other GOP presidential candidates, DeSantis has been hesitant to back a national ban on abortion. Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and former Vice President Mike Pence have both said they support a ban on abortions after 15 weeks, but other candidates, like former President Trump, haven’t said anything yet.