MSNBC Analyst Says Trump Abortion Comments ‘Signaling’ the Far Right’ After Trying to ‘Soften’ Party’s Stance Fell Flat

MSNBC analyst Mara Gay argued Donald Trump was “signaling” the “far right” this week during a marathon press conference where the former president predicted an economic depression and world war if he’s not elected.

Gay, also a member of the New York Times editorial board, said there’s a clear contrast in Trump’s comments on abortion before and after Vice President Kamala Harris moved to the top of the Democratic Party ticket.

“This is a man who was initially, before Kamala Harris became the frontrunner, he was trying to distance himself from abortion bans, from the Dobbs decision. He was trying to soften the party’s platform on reproductive freedom. I don’t believe that that was working with voters,” she said.

At a Thursday press conference from Mar-a-Lago, Trump dodged a question on abortion. Asked how he would vote on a constitutional amendment in Florida that is seeking to protect abortion rights, Trump said he would hold a later press conference to address the issue.

He did appear to change his stance on mifepristone, a drug used in medication abortions. On Thursday, Trump expressed an openness to a ban on the pill, but he said during a May CNN debate that he would not block it .

Gay said Trump’s openness to a more strict abortion stance is him trying to win “far right” voters as Harris continues to gain momentum.

“He’s really doubling down his base. We saw that when he attacked black Americans, black women at the NABJ convention , we are seeing that as he’s attacking Kamala Harris with racist attacks and now we’re seeing it on abortion,” she said. “He’s signaling to the far right, you know, I need your support and I may be willing to do whatever it’ll take to get that, even if it’s doing something extraordinarily extreme, like banning mifepristone.”

Watch above via MSNBC.