Reactions in the United States and abroad to the historic decision by the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday morning to end the right to abortion, which was established nearly 50 years ago, have been mixed.
The court’s controversial and predictable ruling gives individual states the power to make their own abortion laws without worrying about conflict with a state that has allowed abortions during the first two trimesters of pregnancy for almost half a century.
President Joe Biden condemned the decision, calling it “an extremist and dangerous approach.”
“This is a sad day for the court and for the country,” Biden said at the White House. “The court has done something it has never done before… openly usurped a constitutional right that is a fundamental right for many Americans.” “
The Democratic president added that giving states the ability to ban abortion puts the United States out of the ranks of developed countries in terms of protecting reproductive rights.
Biden called on Congress to pass legislation protecting the right to abortion, but this is an unlikely proposal given the fact that there is controversy on this issue.
Biden said his administration will defend women’s right to access FDA-approved drugs, including birth control pills and medical abortion, while fighting attempts to limit women’s travel to other countries for abortions.
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said after the Supreme Court ruling on abortion that the Justice Department would use all means at its disposal to protect reproductive freedom and that federal agencies could continue to provide reproductive health services to the fullest extent permitted by federal law.
“This decision is a serious blow to reproductive freedom in the United States,” Garland said in a statement. “It will have a direct and irreversible impact on the lives of people across the country … and its impact will be highly disproportionate, given the great burden of non-owners.” White people and people with limited financial resources.
As for US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, he confirmed that the Pentagon is “looking into” the court’s decision on abortion and will ensure access to reproductive health in accordance with federal law.
On the other hand, a number of Republicans, led by former US President Donald Trump, welcomed this decision and considered it a victory for customs, traditions and constitutional rights.
“God has made a decision,” Trump told Fox News.
The former US president added: “This decision restores the power of the states, which has always belonged to them.”