Joe Biden continues to seek “solutions” after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the right to access an abortion in a landmark decision that has divided opinions across the country.
The president has said his administration will seek to control how states comply with procedural prohibitions.
Some White House officials have already pointed out plans to fight states trying to ban a pill used for medical abortions.
“The Supreme Court has made terrible decisions,” Biden said Saturday.
“The decision is made by the states. My administration will focus on how they administer and whether or not they violate other laws.”
The court ruling on Friday overturned the constitutional right to abortion that has existed for nearly 50 years following a legal case known as Roe v Wade.
While Mr Biden does not openly agree with the “extreme” option, his spokesman said he still “respects” the Supreme Court and sees no need to expand its membership.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Karine Jean-Pierre said: “When the president commented on the court ruling, it was the decision.
“It’s clear that the court is legitimate and respects it … it’s a court that respects a lot.”
He added: “On the enlargement of the court, this is something the president does not agree with. It is not something he wants to do.”
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3:21 The Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade
Protesters denounce and celebrate the decision
With a conservative majority of 6 to 3, the decision was made by only nine Supreme Court judges and you will now see that almost half of the 50 states ban abortion.
As a result, clinics in at least eight states (Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and West Virginia) have already stopped performing abortions.
Pro-election activists have denounced the decision, while pro-life activists have celebrated it, with hundreds of protesters from both sides descending on the Washington Supreme Court for a second day to share their views .
Among the crowd, opponents of abortion were seen wearing T-shirts with the lyrics “I am the pro-life generation” and supporters of abortion rights sang “My body, my choice.”
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4:05 Protesting: “We love these women”
In Mississippi, a state that has ruled to enforce a ban in just nine days, anti-abortion activists bombed the only women’s health clinic that was still operational.
Hanging large signs that said “abortion is murder,” protesters shouted at women awaiting appointments at the Jackson Women’s Health Organization, telling them incorrectly that they were violating the law.
Read more: Roe v Wade: How did we get here? What happens now and why the Supreme Court cannot stop on abortion rights.
In Arizona, protests in front of the state Capitol ended with state soldiers throwing tear gas at some protesters from the roof of the building.
And in Rhode Island, a police officer has been suspended after being accused of punching a woman in a demonstration while on duty.
Jennifer Rourke, president of the Rhode Island Political Cooperative and a candidate for the state Senate, told the Providence Journal that Jeann Lugo hit her in the face at least twice, having run for a seat in the Senate. state of Rhode Island.
Lugo told the Journal that he “will not deny” the accusation of punches, but added that “everything happened very quickly.”
He later tweeted that he would leave the race, simply writing, “I will not run for office this fall.”
On Friday, several women shared their views on the sentence with Sky News correspondent Joe Pike, some thanking God and others crying tears of despair.
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Concern has also been raised that the decision could lead to a ban on other constitutional rights.
Conservative Judge Clarence Thomas suggested that the court’s reasoning could also lead it to reconsider previous rulings that protect the right to contraception, legalize gay marriage nationwide, and invalidate state laws banning gay sex.