GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump's controversial answer to a question about punishing women who have had abortions, should they become illegal, was a "simple misspeak," and came as the answer to a "hypothetical question," from MSNBC's Chris Matthews, campaign spokeswoman Katrina Pierson said Thursday.
"It was conversational and one of those things that just happens," she told Fox News' Martha MacCallum on the
"America's Newsroom" program.
"[He] answered the question Chris Matthews was asking about banning abortions and should it be punished if it were illegal and he said yes. Chris Matthews said even the woman? And Donald said yes."
Even though Trump later issued statements saying that abortion providers should be punished and not women, Pierson said "it's no surprise the opponents are jumping on the opportunity to politicize the statement."
But opponents such as Ted Cruz "can't have it both ways," said Pierson. "It wasn't too long ago that he was running ads that said Donald Trump supports abortion and Planned Parenthood."
There is also an "unresolved issue" when it comes to personhood, and that's why Trump says the issue should be left up to individual states, she continued.
"He is pro-life, and does not support punishing women for having abortions, even if they are illegal," said Pierson. "That's why progressive journalists try to use these questions to get Republicans specifically."
She said she's not surprised that Republicans are also jumping on Trump over the comment.
"Even the Republican Party establishment have made no secret that they want to stop Donald Trump," said Pierson. "Of course, they are going to jump on things like this."
Meanwhile, she said people would be more comfortable with Trump if he was politically correct, and many criticize him on foreign policy and other issues because "they are not hearing what they want to hear the way they want to hear it."
Trump's policies are "vastly different," she said, but "things shape out to show Mr. Trump has been right on every point of the way . . . A lot of people may not like Mr. Trump personally, but they know he's the right person for the job when you look at the issues important for those people."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.