The National Republican Party unveiled its 2024 platform on Monday, softening its stance on abortion and removing opposition to same-sex marriage in what GOP officials say is a document that aligns with political reality and the beliefs of presumptive nominee Donald Trump.

Many social conservatives, though, criticized the new platform, with Southern Baptist Convention President Clint Pressley saying he was “disheartened by what’s happened in the GOP” and pro-life activist Lila Rose of Live Action describing it as a “significant downgrade from what it has been for four decades.”

The new GOP platform on life is a significant downgrade from what it has been for four decades.

Beginning with the Reagan Revolution in the ’70s and ’80s, every GOP platform had supported federal protections for the unborn -- often with strong pro-life language. The 1976 platform, for example, supported the efforts “of those who seek enactment of a constitutional amendment to restore protection of the right to life for unborn children.” The 1984 platform stated, “The unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed.” The 2016 platform -- the most recent Republican platform -- included similar language.

On Monday, the Republican National Committee’s platform committee passed a platform that mentions abortion but -- for the first time since the 1972 platform -- does not support a federal solution to abortion. The new platform says it’s an issue for the states.

Additionally, the 2024 platform is the first platform since 1972 not to reference the “unborn.” The new platform also backs IVF -- a procedure opposed by many pro-lifers. Previous platforms did not discuss IVF.

The 2024 GOP platform is the first one to be written after the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

“We proudly stand for families and Life,” the 2024 Republican platform says. “We believe that the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States guarantees that no person can be denied Life or Liberty without Due Process and that the States are, therefore, free to pass Laws protecting those Rights. After 51 years, because of us, that power has been given to the States and to a vote of the People. We will oppose Late-Term Abortion while supporting mothers and policies that advance Prenatal Care, access to Birth Control, and IVF (fertility treatments).”

The 2016 platform included more than 700 words on the issue of abortion. The 2024 platform addresses abortion in less than 100 words.

The 2016 platform stated, in part, “We assert the sanctity of human life and affirm that the unborn child has a fundamental right to life which cannot be infringed. We support a human life amendment to the Constitution and legislation to make clear that the Fourteenth Amendment’s protections apply to children before birth.” That language, though, is gone.

The 2024 platform also removes language opposing same-sex marriage, an issue that first appeared on a GOP platform in 1992 when it stated, “We oppose any legislation or law which legally recognizes same-sex marriages.” Every GOP platform since ’92 has opposed same-sex marriage. The 2016 platform opposed the Supreme Court decision that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.

The 2024 platform includes no mention of same-sex marriage. (A Trump spokesperson in 2019 said Trump supported same-sex marriage).

Although the 2024 platform disappointed social conservatives on abortion, it does address another major social issue: gender.

“We will keep men out of women’s sports, ban Taxpayer funding for sex change surgeries, and stop Taxpayer-funded Schools from promoting gender transition, reverse Biden’s radical rewrite of Title IX Education Regulations, and restore protections for women and girls,” the new platform says.

The new platform also vows to protect religious liberty.

“We are the defenders of the First Amendment Right to Religious Liberty,” the 2024 platform says. “It protects the Right not only to Worship according to the dictates of Conscience but also to act in accordance with those Beliefs, not just in places of Worship, but in everyday life. Our ranks include men and women from every Faith and Tradition, and we respect the Right of every American to follow his or her deeply held Beliefs. To protect Religious Liberty, Republicans support a new Federal Task Force on Fighting Anti-Christian Bias that will investigate all forms of illegal discrimination, harassment, and persecution against Christians in America.”

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