To the disappointment of many Catholics, Trump has recently dug his heels in on his support for in-vitro fertilization (IVF). He still, however, is committed to protecting the lives of babies in the late stages of pregnancy, in contrast to Harris who unequivocally supports late-term abortions and rejects all born-alive infant protections.
Nevertheless, Trump’s recent statements on IVF and abortion exceptions have led Catholics to question whether they can morally vote for him this November.
The Facts
Trump has said he would support IVF mandates in insurance plans.
As CatholicVote’s Brian Burch said, “Forcing Americans to pay for IVF, which involves the destruction of countless living human embryos, is unacceptable.”
But unlike Harris, Trump made it clear in his first debate with Vice President Harris that he does not support abortion at the very least past the seventh month of pregnancy.
Due to his emphasis on the fall of Roe that returned the abortion debate to voters in their respective states, he did not address abortion in the earlier stages of pregnancy.
In contrast, Harris adamantly said she would sign federal legislation to legalize abortion nation-wide during the debate. “I pledge to you, when Congress passes a bill to put back in place the protections of Roe v. Wade, as president of the United States, I will proudly sign it into law,” she stated.
Trump’s Pro-Life Record
While these statements should not be ignored, it is important to recall the effort of the Trump administration to answer the demands of the pro-life movement throughout the country.
Most notably, during his presidency Trump nominated three justices to the U.S. Supreme Court who had a significant influence in the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
He also signed executive orders protecting the religious liberty of groups such as the Little Sisters of the Poor, in addition to reinstating the “Mexico City Policy,” which prohibited federal funding to non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) providing abortions overseas.
What Does the Catholic Church Say
Pope St. John Paul II’s encyclical Evangelium Vitae states, “In the case of an intrinsically unjust law, such as a law permitting abortion or euthanasia, it is therefore never licit to obey it, or to ‘take part in a propaganda campaign in favour of such a law, or vote for it.’”
By voting for a candidate, we are voting for the laws they intend to support and sign.
The encyclical also clarifies
… an elected official, whose absolute personal opposition to procured abortion was well known, could licitly support proposals aimed at limiting the harm done by such a law and at lessening its negative consequences at the level of general opinion and public morality. This does not in fact represent an illicit cooperation with an unjust law, but rather a legitimate and proper attempt to limit its evil aspects. (73)
This stipulation provides the reasoning for Catholics to support Trump, since voting for him would limit the greater evil that would likely be done during a Harris presidency, with regards to abortion.
The Responsibility Of A Catholic To Vote
As Catholics, we “have a right and a duty to participate in society, seeking together the common good and well-being of all, especially the poor and vulnerable,” as stated in the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ guide on Catholic social teaching.
This stems from teachings in the Catechism of the Catholic Church which state, “It is necessary that all participate, each according to his position and role, in promoting the common good. This obligation is inherent in the dignity of the human person.”
There is a call and necessity for Catholics to vote this November.
Upholding the dignity of others through defending the lives of the unborn is central to our Catholic lives because “…the measure of every institution is whether it threatens or enhances the life and dignity of the human person.”
This election, every vote matters.
Withholding a vote for Trump because he has not been perfect on life issues is allowing Harris to win at the ballot box, which is why my vote for Trump this November will be a pro-life vote.
