Donald Trump still hasn't acknowledged the landmark SCOTUS ruling on abortion access
More than six-hours after the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a landmark ruling in favor of abortion rights and struck down a Texas law that imposed extreme restrictions on abortion providers, it's clear that one loud voice was unusually absent from Monday's conversation regarding the decision.
Presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump has been mum on the Supreme Court ruling. But his likely Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, was quick to comment on Monday's ruling, tweeting out that it was "a victory for women in Texas" and reaffirmed her commitment to supporting abortion access.
SCOTUS's decision is a victory for women in Texas and across America. Safe abortion should be a right—not just on paper, but in reality. -H
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) June 27, 2016
On Trump's side of the aisle, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan tweeted that he was "disappointed" in the court's decision.
I'm disappointed in the Court's decision. But our fight to protect women's health & promote life will not stop here. pic.twitter.com/sG0TyuT521
— Paul Ryan (@SpeakerRyan) June 27, 2016
But as of Monday evening, there had still been no word from Trump. Abortion rights have proven to be a tricky issue for him in the past: Back in March he said he supported "some form of punishment" for people who undergo abortions — and then quickly walked it back after taking heat from people on all sides of the abortion rights debate.
See reactions to the ruling:
Maybe Trump's team is trying to avoid another gaffe by simply ignoring the decision altogether — but Trump's silence on a major decision that will likely impact the health and lives of countless Americans sends a loud enough message.
Read more:
• What to Know About the Supreme Court's Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt Abortion Case
• Women at Abortion Clinics Are Being Sent GPS-Activated Anti-Abortion Ads
• 'Across the Line' Uses Virtual Reality to Put Viewers in Abortion Patients' Shoes