In a recent statement, former President Donald Trump emphasized that Arizona's abortion ban went too far and expressed his disapproval of the ruling. Trump made it clear that he would not sign a national abortion ban if elected president in 2024, ABC News reported.

During a conversation with reporters on Wednesday, Trump, in response to a question about signing an abortion ban, firmly stated "no" and shook his head. He expressed his belief that the Arizona ruling would be rectified, stating, "Yeah they did, and that will be straightened out." Trump's remarks come as Democrats have warned about his potential authorization of an extreme abortion ban if elected, drawing attention to the federal abortion rights that were overturned during his administration due to his appointed Supreme Court judges.

Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson is slated to meet with Donald Trump on Friday for a joint press conference at Mar-a-Lago, focusing on "election integrity". The press conference's details are still being finalized, but it is viewed as a significant event amidst Johnson's potential speakership threat from Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene.

The political landscape surrounding abortion has been in flux recently. Republican lawmakers initially celebrated the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022, which led to a surge in near-total abortion bans throughout the South and Midwest. However, following electoral losses and growing public discontent, Republicans are now attempting to navigate this issue differently, distancing themselves from the extreme bans and trying to convince voters that they bear no responsibility for any negative consequences.

The spotlight on Arizona epitomizes this Republican backpedaling on abortion. On Tuesday, the state supreme court ruled to allow an 1864 nearly total abortion ban to go into effect. This legislation, passed before Arizona became a state and before women's suffrage, outlaws abortion in all cases except when the life of the woman is at risk. The decision has sparked concern amongst Republicans, given its potential impact on the 2024 election.

In a separate legislative move, the House voted to block the reauthorization of section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, a controversial warrantless surveillance program. Divisions within House Republicans over how to handle this issue led to the collapse of previous reform and reauthorization attempts. Section 702 allows the US government to collect data from targeted foreign individuals abroad, including incidental collection of messages and phone data from Americans who interact with these targets.

President Joe Biden was questioned about the recent ruling in Arizona, to which he replied, "Elect me. I'm in the 20th century... 21st century... not back then. They weren't even a state." This response reflects his stance opposing the near-total abortion ban put forth by Arizona.

In other political news, Cornel West, an author and left-wing activist, announced that Melina Abdullah would serve as his running mate in his bid for presidential candidacy. West's campaign, aimed at securing ballot access in all 50 states, has already achieved success in Alaska, Oregon, South Carolina, and Utah. The formation of the Justice for All party and West's presence as an independent candidate on key battleground state ballots have raised concerns among Democrats, as they worry he may draw support away from President Biden and potentially affect the outcome of the election.

As the political landscape continues to shift, with Republicans reassessing their stance on abortion and independent candidates like Cornel West entering the race, the upcoming elections are sure to be filled with debates and discussions surrounding key issues and party platforms.