Florida introduces "nightmare" abortion ban as Democrats slam Trump effect
Jacksonville, Florida - Florida introduced one of the strictest abortion bans in the US Wednesday in what President Joe Biden called a "nightmare" triggered by his election rival and predecessor Donald Trump.
Vice President Kamala Harris is visiting the state to deliver a speech condemning Trump as the harsh ban on abortions after six weeks of pregnancy took effect.
The 77-year-old has bragged about how justices he nominated allowed the Supreme Court to revoke the national right to abortion in 2022, in turn paving the way for 21 states to bring in total or partial bans.
"Today, an extreme abortion ban takes effect in Florida, banning reproductive health care before many women even know they are pregnant," Biden said in a statement.
"There is one person responsible for this nightmare: Donald Trump."
Biden himself visited Florida last week as Democrats seek to make abortion one of the core issues of the 2024 election, seeing it as a vote-winner against Trump.
Harris to point finger squarely at Trump in Jacksonville speech
Florida's strict new law replaces a 15-week ban and has left women and clinics across the southern United States scrambling for options.
One of the most populous states in the country, Florida was one of the few in the region where the time limit for abortion was still relatively high, leading many women to travel there to terminate their pregnancies.
Harris has become the campaign's leading voice on abortion rights and will speak in Jacksonville.
Despite touting the Supreme Court ruling, Trump has recently fudged on the abortion issue amid signs that it is hurting him in the polls. He repeatedly said it was up to states to decide when asked if he would support a nationwide federal abortion ban.
Florida voters will have a chance to reverse the six-week limit in a referendum that will coincide with November's presidential election.
Cover photo: REUTERS