Donald Trump on Friday addressed the 2018 March for Life from the White House via satellite, marking the first time that a sitting president has spoken to the annual pro-life gathering in Washington, D.C.
Trump began his remarks by thanking Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen for being "true champions for life," and said he was proud to be the first president to address the March for Life.
"Today tens of thousands of families, students, patriots, and really just great citizens gather here in our nation's capital," Trump said. "You all come for one beautiful cause: to build a society where life is celebrated, protected, and cherished."
"The March for Life is a movement born out of love," Trump continued. "You love every child, born and unborn, because you believe that every life is sacred, that every child is a precious gift from God."
Trump called life "the greatest miracle of all."
"We see it in the eyes of every new mother who cradles that wonderful innocent and glorious newborn child in her loving arms," said Trump, who noted that the theme of this year's march is "love saves lives."
"Because of you, tens of thousands of Americans have been born and reached their full God-given potential," he told the pro-life activists.
Trump also criticized the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision, which legalized abortion nationwide. He said the landmark decision from 1973 allowed some of the "most permissive abortion laws anywhere in the world," saying that the U.S. is "one of only seven countries to allow elective late-term abortions, along with China, North Korea, and others."
Trump said that his administration will defend the unborn and those who hold pro-life views.
"Under my administration, we will always defend the very first right in the Declaration of Independence, and that is the right to life," he said.
Later in his speech, Trump featured a woman who at 17 found out that she was pregnant.
"At first, she felt like she had no place to turn," Trump said. "But when she told her parents, they responded with total love, total affection, total support."
"Anna bravely chose life and soon gave birth to her son," Trump added.
Anna and her husband have provided child care, counseling, education, and job training to more than 400 women, Trump told the crowd.
"Even more importantly, it has given them hope. It has shown each woman that she is not forgotten," Trump said.