Texas Gov. Greg Abbott slammed for not understanding 'pregnancy or periods or facts' after abortion ban comments

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) angered quite a few doctors and pundits on Tuesday, after misleadingly claiming that his state's extreme new abortion ban still allows rape or incest victims "at least six weeks" to get an abortion.
The highly-criticized law, which went into effect last week, criminalizes and thus effectively bans abortions at the (incredibly early) six week mark, and makes no exceptions in cases of rape or incest.
Abbott told a reporter that the law does not force a rape or incest victim to carry a pregnancy to term because "obviously it provides at least six weeks for a person to be able to get an abortion." He went on to make clear that Texas will work "tirelessly" to make sure "we eliminate all rapists from the streets of Texas."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

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.
The governor quickly found himself in a torrent of online criticism, with doctors and pundits pointing out that not only do most women not even know they are pregnant at the six-week mark, the law does not necessarily allow an individual six weeks to get an abortion; it bans the procedure after six weeks of pregnancy, a distinction that makes all the difference. Furthermore, critics took issue with Abbott's characterization of rape and the circumstances in which it happens.
Abbott also on Tuesday signed into law the contentious, state GOP-backed elections overhaul, which will introduce a whole slew of voting restrictions in Texas. In July, Lonestar Democrats fled the state in protest of the legislation, which they believe is an effort to "weaken minority turnout and preserve the GOP's eroding dominance," per The Associated Press.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
Polar scares: assault in the Antarctic
Under The Radar Violence on remote research bases is rare but extremely challenging to police
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
The Week contest: Bird battle
Puzzles and Quizzes
By The Week US Published
-
Magazine solutions - March 28, 2025
Feature Issue - March 28, 2025
By The Week US Published
-
Trump pauses $175M for Penn over trans athlete
Speed Read The president is withholding federal funds from the University of Pennsylvania because it once allowed a transgender swimmer to compete
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump purports to 'void' Biden pardons
Speed Read Joe Biden's pardons of Jan. 6 committee members are not valid because they were done by autopen, says Trump
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
White House ignores judicial deportation blocks
Speed Read The Trump administration deports alleged Venezuelan gang members under a wartime law, defying a court order
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Schumer: Democrats will help pass spending bill
Speed Read The Democrats end the threat of government shutdown
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump pulls nomination of anti-vax CDC pick
Speed Read Former Florida congressmen Dr. Dave Weldon was nominated to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Judges tell Trump to rehire fired federal workers
Speed Read Trump and Elon Musk's DOGE team face a big setback in their efforts to shrink the federal workforce
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump trade war heats up as Canada, EU retaliate
Speed Read The president imposes 25% steel and aluminum tariffs in an effort to revive US manufacturing, though it may drive up prices for Americans instead
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump hawks Teslas, slashes more federal jobs
Speed Read The Education Department cut its workforce in half ahead of an expected Trump order to shutter the agency
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published