The Palm Beach Post, based in former President Donald Trump‘s home county, has come out in support of Florida’s pro-abortion rights ballot initiative, which he opposes.
Amendment 4 would enshrine the right to abortion in the Florida Constitution, granting women the legal autonomy to make reproductive health decisions up to the point of fetal viability, generally around 24 weeks into pregnancy.
The editorial, published in the Sunday edition of the Palm Beach Post, urges Floridians to vote yes on Amendment 4, calling it “the most important” of the six constitutional amendments on the ballot this November.
The amendment states that “no law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider.”
Donald Trump at a campaign event in Aurora, Colorado, on October 11, 2024. The Palm Beach Post, based in Trump’s home county, has come out in support of Florida’s pro-abortion rights ballot initiative, which the former president opposes.
Alex Brandon/ASSOCIATED PRESS
“Decisions about abortion should be left to women—in consultation with their doctors,” the Post stated, condemning Florida’s current six-week abortion ban, which was signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis in 2023.
The editorial board pointed out the lack of exceptions for cases of rape, incest, or the health of the mother, calling the law “deeply troubling.”
Trump, who lives at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, has previously voiced his opposition to Amendment 4, even after sparking backlash for suggesting the state’s six-week ban was too restrictive.
“I will be voting no for that reason,” Trump said last month on Fox News, clarifying that while he believes the ban could be less strict, he opposes the “radical” stance of allowing abortions up to the ninth month. In the interview, he repeated false claims that some Democratic-led states have laws “where you can actually execute the baby after birth.”
Amendment 4 does not allow for abortion in the ninth month, or termination of babies after birth. It allows for abortion up until the point of fetal viability, which is generally after around 24 weeks of pregnancy.
While Trump remains opposed to Amendment 4, DeSantis has taken more drastic measures to combat its passage.
His administration recently threatened local TV stations with criminal prosecution for airing ads in support of the amendment, which the Florida Department of Health claimed in a letter contained “false” and “dangerous” statements about the six-week ban endangering women’s health.
Critics, however, assert that the threats are an unconstitutional violation of free speech.
“Once again, the state of Florida has a First Amendment problem,” Ciara Torres-Spelliscy, a law professor at Stetson University, told news site Slate last week.
The threat of criminal prosecution has been described by critics as part of DeSantis’ broader efforts to use public funds to suppress support for Amendment 4, which needs 60 percent approval to pass.
As the debate intensifies, public opinion remains divided.
Many Floridians, including those in Trump’s own backyard, seem at odds with the former president’s stance.
A Pew Research poll from April shows 63 percent of Americans believe abortion should be legal in most cases. Locally, polls indicate that Amendment 4 is more supported that it is opposed.
A September 29 to October 6 poll by Sienna College for The New York Times surveyed 622 likely voters in Florida. It found 46 percent of respondents supported the amendment, while 38 percent opposed it, short of the 60 percent threshold required for the amendment to pass.
The issue of abortion is set to play a major role in this election season, not only in Florida but nationwide. Vice President Kamala Harris‘ campaign has leaned heavily into reproductive rights as a key pillar of her platform.
Newsweek has reached out to the Trump and Harris campaigns, as well as the “Yes” and “No” campaigns for Amendment 4 via email for comment.
