Trump abortion backlash spotlights a Republican balancing act

After Donald Trump labelled Florida's six-week abortion ban a "terrible mistake", he opened himself to attack from powerful conservative activists who want to ban the procedure nationwide. But his comments also revealed the challenges for Republican messaging on one of the country's most polarising issues.

On Monday afternoon, the president of Students for Life sent an open letter to former President Donald Trump, the definitive frontrunner for the Republican party's 2024 presidential nomination.

The tone was displeased, and scolding.

Students for Life would pause its $5m (£4m) door-knocking campaign meant to rally anti-abortion voters in the 2024 race until Mr Trump "clarified" his comments in a recent interview on NBC's Meet the Press, which had aired the day before.

Mr Trump attacked his chief Republican rival, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, for his state's six-week abortion ban. The six-week ban "is a terrible thing and a terrible mistake", he said.