Charles Krauthammer argues Trump's abortion comments might actually cost him this time

Charles Krauthammer has been a Donald Trump skeptic for months, and on Thursday's Kelly File, Megyn Kelly asked the regular Fox News contributor "whether you believe we have seen a Trump peak, and the momentum is shifting in this race," after Trump's rocky week — arrested campaign manager, fight over his and Ted Cruz's wives, and Trump's abortion gaffe. "Well, look, I've said it many times, and I was wrong every single time," Krauthammer said, comparing the phrase "peak Trump" to "peak oil," another oft-mentioned prediction that has yet to come true. But Trump had a "terrible week," he added, "and there's something about the abortion question" that could actually dent Trump's support.

With most policy shortcomings, Trump supporters have been able to argue that he'll be able to learn about, say, the nuclear triad in about half an hour, Krauthammer said. "That's fine. But abortion is the central issue of the conservative movement for the last 30 years, in terms of social issues. It is a deep one that anyone involved has thought through. The fact that he could give such an answer, which is so far afield from what the pro-life people and the movement think, tells you a) that he's not actually thought it through, and I think it might actually raise doubts in his supporters, who have stuck with him though all the other incidents and gaffes."

Kelly noted that some Trump supporters have started to raise doubts, asking Krauthammer whether "Trump's behavior in the past week" is hurting him "or whether it's something else, that they're just starting to have general doubts about the man they've been backing?" "When Ann Coulter calls you mental, you've got a problem — and I say that as a retired psychiatrist," he said. But he returned to the abortion gaffe, saying he thinks that this time, finally, it will be the issue that raises doubts among his backers "as to the temperament issue, as to the knowledge issue, and as to the seriousness issue." Watch below. Peter Weber

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up