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(LifeSiteNews) — While campaigning for Donald Trump in Pittsburgh this past weekend, Elon Musk, while falling short of taking the true pro-life position, told a young woman who identified herself as an abortion survivor that “if a baby can survive outside the womb, it cannot be aborted” because it is “murder.”

The woman, who did not give her name (fast forward to the 39:10 minute mark here to watch their interaction in full), began by saying that like Trump she too is a survivor of an “assassination attempt.” 

After that remark grabbed Musk’s attention, she continued: “My parents hired a hitman, otherwise known as an abortion doctor, to try to kill me when I was in the womb.” 

To which Musk replied, “wow.” 

“But he was terrible at his job, and I survived and I’m here,” she continued, at which point the crowd as well as Musk started clapping. The visibly moved woman then began to cry.  

“I’m glad you’re here,” Musk said. 

The woman continued by noting that she is “very pro-life” but that she would support defending the unborn regardless of her own experience because of the moral and logical reasons for doing so. 

She then asked Musk: “I know that you’re a rational person, and you are pro-humanity … I’m just wondering if you would ever consider publicly supporting the pro-life movement?”  

Musk responded by first noting that Trump “has been very clear that he will veto a national abortion ban.” He then said that “there is no answer to this question that will not offend some number of people.”  

He proceeded to state that, “if a baby can survive outside the womb, it cannot be aborted … If it is far enough in gestation to survive outside the womb at that point it is not abortion it is murder.” 

While Musk’s comments certainly contain an element of opposition to abortion in them, Catholic moral teaching affirms that abortion at any stage of pregnancy, whether it be a chemically induced abortion done within days of pregnancy or a surgical abortion performed at the moment of birth, is murder because life begins at conception.  

What’s more, the Charlotte Lozier Institute has shown that more than 90% of all abortions in the U.S. (which is around 1 million annually) occur in the first trimester (13 weeks). The “viability” threshold that Musk is referring to takes place far later, around 22 weeks.  

The CDC also estimates that 50,000 abortions each year take place after 15 weeks, and approximately 10,000 after 20 weeks, which is when an abortion is officially considered a “late term abortion.” So in principle, all Musk is saying is that he is opposed to “late term abortions,” which are less than 1% of all abortions anyway. 

At the same time, Musk did not fail to express his strong support for families. 

“There’s nothing greater than having a kid,” he said. “I get more joy in my life for my kids than anything else. And that’s generally true of all humans. In fact, that is how we evolved. It is a very natural thing that you will love your children. So, in fact, having a child will make you happier than anything else in your life ever.” 

He also blamed schools for why abortion is such a popular choice for young women.  

“Part of the challenge here is that the education system has terrified girls and women and relentlessly pushed the idea that getting pregnant is the end of your life, like your career is dead — you’ll be ostracized from society,” he said. 

“When you instill terror in young girls that getting pregnant is the worst thing that can happen … the idea that they won’t be able to get an abortion … is terrifying, and they will not vote for any candidate who might essentially stop them from getting it.” 

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