President Donald Trump's nominee for director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) seemed to backtrack on campaign promises that the administration would support abortion in cases of rape and incest.
At a Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday, Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) noted that Russ Vought, Trump's nominee for OMB director, was the lead author of "the Anti-Abortion Project 2025."
"You were also caught just a few months ago saying that when it comes to abortion, you, quote, want to get to abolition," Murray explained. "Now everyone should understand that abortion, abolition means zero abortions under any circumstance whatsoever."
"Senator, my views are not important," Vought insisted. "I'm here on behalf of the president as his nominee to restore fiscal accountability."
"I'm asking you a question under oath, sir," Murray replied, "because you want to be director of an office that will advise the president, and we have a right to know your views."
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Vought, however, insisted his viewpoint was "consistent with the views that the president ran on repeatedly, made his views very clear on abortion with regard in the last election."
"Even in the case of rape, incest, life of the mother," Murray pointed out. "That is his view."
In fact, Trump repeatedly vowed during his candidacy that abortion bans would not include situations where there was rape, incest, or the life of the mother was at risk.
