Trump, Vance address anti-abortion rally, vow 'to protect the unborn'

President Donald Trump has vowed to support anti-abortion-rights protesters in his second term as tens of thousands of demonstrators rallied in Washington DC for the annual March for Life.

"We will again stand proudly for families and for life," Trump declared in a prerecorded video address on Friday.

"Our country faces the return of the most pro-family, most pro-life American president of our lifetimes," Vice President JD Vance told the crowd in his in-person speech.

Vance hailed Trump's previous actions on abortion, saying the president "delivered on his promise of ending Roe (v. Wade)" and appointed hundreds of anti-abortion judges.

"We march to protect the unborn, we march to proclaim and live out the sacred truth that every single is a miracle and a gift from God," he said.

Despite frigid weather, a festive atmosphere surrounded the event as activists showed up with multicoloured hats and signs declaring "Life is our revolution" and "MAGA: Make Abortion Gone Again."

"This is a significant moment in history," said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America group.

"Yes, we have a march every year, but this one is pretty special...There is a trifecta of pro-life Republicans in the White House and the House and the Senate."

Anna Henderson, a teacher at a Catholic high school near Jackson, Michigan, was also attending with a busload of her students. "Just because we have the backing of the administration doesn't mean the fight is over," she said.

"We still need to change people's hearts."

Abortion battle

The battle over abortion since the 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade has been in state courts and at the ballot box, where voters in seven states approved ballot measures for constitutional amendments on abortion freedom in November.

Supporters of abortion rights spoke up, too.

"No matter what they said on the campaign trail to win an election, this shows their intentions to continue to attack abortion access," Ryan Stitzlein, vice president of political and government relations for the national abortion rights organisation Reproductive Freedom for All, said of abortion-rights opponents.

"Each time one of these has taken place since the Dobbs decision, it's been a day to reflect on how much damage that's been caused by that decision and the crisis we continue to live in."

Ellie Smeal, president and founder of the Feminist Majority Foundation, said her group would counterprotest.

"We want to remind people of the popularity of abortion rights and the importance of this issue, that women and men are supportive of people making their own reproductive health decisions," she said.

Trump signed on Thursday pardons for 23 anti-abortion protesters whom the White House said were prosecuted under his predecessor Joe Biden's administration.