Donald Trump speaks during a rally Friday in Warren, Mich. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
(CNSNews.com) — In a pre-taped interview for CBS News’s “Face the Nation” program, Donald Trump was asked by host John Dicksenson about his views on abortion.
Here is the transcript of the exchange:
Dickenson: Let, me ask you next about abortion. What would you do to further restrict women’s access to abortions as president?
Trump: Well, look, look, I just, I mean, I know where you are going and I just want to say: A question was asked to me and it was asked in a very hypothetical—and it was said ‘illegal, illegal.’ I have been told by some people that was a older line answer and that was an answer that was given on a, you know, the basis of an older line from years ago, very, on a very conservative basis. But–
Dickenson: Your original answer, you mean?
Trump: My original.
Dickenson: About punishing a women.
Trump: But I was asked as a hypothetical. Hypothetically. Hypothetically. The laws are set now on abortion and that is the way they are going to remain until they are changed.
Dickenson: Because you had said you wanted, you told Bloomberg in January, that you believed abortion should be banned at some point in pregnancy. Where would you do the ban?
Trump: Well, I, first of all would have liked to see this as a state’s rights issue. I would have preferred states’ rights. I think it would have been better if it were up to the states. But right now the laws are set and that’s the way the laws are.
Dickenson: But do you have a feeling how they should change. There are a lot of laws you want to change, you’ve talked about them on everything from libel to torture. Anything you would want to change on abortion?
Trump: At this moment the laws are set, and I think we have to leave it that way.
Dickenson: Do you think it’s murder, abortion?
Trump: Umm. I have my opinions on it, but I would rather not comment on it.
Dickenson: You said you were very pro-life—
Trump: I am pro-life. I’m pro-life.
Dickenson: Pro-life view is that it’s abortion, and abortion is murder.
Trump: I mean, I do have my opinions on it. I’d rather–I just don’t think it’s an appropriate forum.
Dickenson: But you don’t disagree with that proposition? That it’s murder?
Donald Trump speaks during a rally Friday in Warren, Mich. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) 
