New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy says he will stock up on abortion pills before Trump returns to the White House.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, announced Tuesday that his state will stockpile abortion drugs next week as President-elect Trump returns to the White House with GOP control in both houses of Congress.
During his State of the State address, the governor made comments about protecting abortion drugs like mifepristone, pledging to work with Trump on his priorities, but also emphasizing that the state is ready to push back against the incoming administration. They resist.
Murphy is one of the few Democratic governors who say they are open to cooperating with the Trump administration. But Murphy said he would not back down from opposing “anti-choice” policies backed by the Republican-led House and Senate in Washington, saying the state would stock mifepristone “so every woman can access this critical reproductive care.”
“I will not hesitate to cooperate with the Trump administration where our priorities are aligned,” Murphy said. But I will not shy away from defending our New Jersey values as necessary – if and when challenged.
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New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy delivers the State of the State address to a joint session of the Legislature at the State House on January 9, 2024 in Trenton, NJ. (AP)
New Jersey is the latest Democrat-led state to announce plans to stockpile mifepristone, one of two drugs commonly used to end pregnancy.
Trump, who will be inaugurated on January 20, said last month he did not intend to restrict abortion drugs, but said “things will change”.
Trump’s nomination for Attorney General Pam Bondi has raised concerns about bringing back the Comstock Act, passed by Congress in 1873, which banned the mail order of drugs or instruments used to induce abortions.
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New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said during a press conference in Newark in August. (AP/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)
In June, the United States Supreme Court unanimously ruled to protect access to mifepristone. The case sought to limit access to the drug, including in states where abortion is legal.
Abortion is prohibited, with some exceptions, at all stages of pregnancy in 14 states, and after six weeks of pregnancy in three others.
In Tuesday’s State of the State address, his second to last, Murphy emphasized his reluctance to become a lame-duck governor before the end of his second term, unveiling several proposals for the year. A term-limited governor leaves office one year after the November gubernatorial election. New Jersey and Virginia are two states that are regularly slated for gubernatorial races this year.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy speaks to members of the media after meeting with President Biden during the National Governors Association Winter Meeting, Friday, Feb. 10, 2023, at the White House. (Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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“Our absolute priority in this final chapter of our journey — as it has been since day one — is providing economic security and opportunity for every New Jerseyan,” Murphy said.
Other proposals Murphy unveiled include directing schools to ban cell phones starting in the 12th grade.
“Our children are inundated with screens. “And they’re making it incredibly difficult for our children to not only learn, but to retain the substance of what they’ve learned.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.