The Trump campaign did not directly address the contention of a New York Times report that said Trump has privately indicated he supports the idea of a ban on abortion after 16 weeks of pregnancy.

A campaign spokeswoman instead offered a vague statement saying Trump would “sit down with both sides and negotiate a deal that everyone will be happy with.” 

Trump has over the past year repeatedly dodged when asked whether he would sign a national abortion ban if reelected, and he has said he supports exceptions that allow abortion in cases of rape, incest and for the life of the mother. 

While not as strict as some states with near-total bans, a national 16-week ban would still impact tens of millions of women , even those who live in Democratic-led states that currently protect abortion access.

Democrats have for months warned Trump would institute a national abortion ban if elected, and the Biden campaign and surrogates seized on the report.  

“Donald Trump is running to rip away your rights. [Vice President Harris] and I are running to protect them,” President Biden said in a statement through his campaign on Friday. “The choice is very simple. Kamala and I will restore Roe v. Wade and make it once again the law of the land. Donald Trump will ban abortion nationwide. That is what is at stake this November.” 

Mini Timmaraju, president and CEO of the abortion rights group Reproductive Freedom for All, said Trump was “trying to masquerade as a moderate,” and promised that “we are going to make him own every inch of this crisis he created.” 

The reactions from anti-abortion groups were mixed.  

“We strongly agree with President Trump on protecting babies from abortion violence at 16 weeks when they feel pain,” SBA Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser said, calling it a “compassionate position.” 

But Students for Life of America, which wants a much stricter limit, demanded Trump clarify his stance. 

“To be clear, a limit on abortion at four months – 16 weeks – would allow for more than nine in ten abortions, reports the CDC, and will make no one happy,” Students for Life Action President Kristan Hawkins said.