Donald Trump has said decisions about abortion rights should be left to the states, releasing a statement on the contentious election issue on Monday.

Many in his Republican Party had wanted him to back a nationwide ban on abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

But Mr Trump said policies should be set by individual states – as they have been since the Supreme Court overturned the Roe v Wade decision in 2022.

Since then, preserving abortion rights has become a top issue for many voters.

Some states have been tightening restrictions on abortion, while others have moved to widen access.

President Joe Biden, responding to Mr Trump’s statement, said his rival in November’s election was worried voters would punish him on the issue at the polls.

In his video, Mr Trump declared: “My view is now that we have abortion where everybody wanted it from a legal standpoint; the states will determine by vote or legislation, or perhaps both.”

Mr Trump also said he was “proudly the person responsible” for the change brought about by the US Supreme Court two years ago, when it overturned the longstanding Roe v Wade decision that a woman’s right to terminate a pregnancy was protected by the US constitution.

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