Abortion rights under threat for US as Trump nominates pro-life Supreme Court judge

Abortion rights are under threat for women in the US following Donald Trump's Supreme Court nomination.

Brett Kavanaugh was nominated by Trump today with the president saying he was a "brilliant jurist" with "impeccable credentials." Kavanaugh, a conservative, pro-life, pro-gun, judge and former presidential advisor, does not directly oppose the current regulation of terminations in the States, but does have a history of denying women abortion rights. Last year, he denied an undocumented migrant teenager the right to an abortion, stating that her decision was "based on a constitutional principle as novel as it is wrong." This judgement was later reversed. Following his 2016 presidential victory, Trump said that he would fill the Supreme Court with "pro-life judges." The Supreme Court acts as an authority on laws and points of contention between individual US states and federal governments. This includes issues of abortion, reproductive rights, and the death penalty. Women's rights groups and activists have expressed concern following Kavanaugh's nomination. Planned Parenthood issued a statement today saying they and their supporters were ready to "fight like hell" to support legal abortion. They said:

"Trump’s power over the Supreme Court is alarming for not only abortion rights, but also for our ability to live free from discrimination in this country."

They are calling on people to contact their local senators to reject Trump's nomination.