Gov. Reynolds pushes back after Trump calls six-week abortion ban a 'terrible thing'

DES MOINES — Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds pushed back Tuesday on comments former President Donald Trump made over the weekend suggesting state laws banning abortions after six weeks — like the one Reynolds signed in July — are a "terrible mistake."

Trump, the front-runner according to polls in the Republican presidential primary, made the comments in a Sunday interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press” with Kristen Welker, pointing to the policy that a GOP primary opponent — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — signed into law in April in that state.

"I think what he did is a terrible thing and a terrible mistake," Trump said of DeSantis in the NBC interview.

The Florida law makes abortion illegal after six weeks with some exceptions. Iowa's law, currently blocked because of a lawsuit, bans abortion after cardiac activity can be detected in an embryo or fetus with some exceptions, which can be as early as six weeks.

"It’s never a 'terrible thing' to protect innocent life," Reynolds posted Tuesday on X, formerly Twitter. "I’m proud of the fetal heartbeat bill the Iowa legislature passed and I signed in 2018 and again earlier this year."

Reynolds signed a near-identical version of the Iowa law in 2018, which was permanently blocked by a district court. The new law is now before the Iowa Supreme Court to determine its constitutionality.

Trump, whose U.S. Supreme Court appointments were instrumental in delivering the decision that overturned Roe v. Wade and federal abortion protections, did not say whether he would support a national abortion ban or what the cutoff should be. He said he would bring together Republicans and Democrats to find a “number of weeks or months” that’s going to “make people happy.”

Trump is set to return Wednesday to Iowa, making campaign stops in Maquoketa and Dubuque. Reynolds is not scheduled to appear at either of the events, and she has not appeared alongside Trump since March.

Trump in July criticized Reynolds for staying neutral in the Republican presidential primary and claimed credit for her 2018 gubernatorial election win.

DeSantis's supporters also criticized Trump after he disparaged the Florida governor's abortion policy. Statements from Iowa pastors and Trump's legislative endorsers said the comments were an insult to the anti-abortion movement.

"Trump's comments are a slap in the face to Iowans and the entire pro-life movement," said Iowa House Majority Leader Matt Windschitl, R-Missouri Valley. "We should never compromise with Democrats on protecting life."

DeSantis shot back Monday at Trump in an interview with Radio Iowa. He said any compromise Trump lands on would go against the aims of anti-abortion rights advocates.

“I thought him saying that those bills were terrible, I think, was a terrible statement, and I think it's a window into how he’s changing as he’s running this campaign,” DeSantis said. “And I think he’s changing in a way that is not consistent with the values of the people of Iowa.”