One Photo Exposes How Trump Feels About Women

Controversial comments during a town hall event on Wednesday were enough to prompt host network MSNBC to release special footage of a heated exchange between Chris Matthews and GOP presidential frontrunner Donald Trump. Matthews appeared relentless in his questioning of the Donald, who considers himself a pro-life candidate. What emerged from that exchange was a shocking statement that not only should abortion be banned, but that women should also be punished for it. Over the course of the town hall event in Appleton, Wisconsin, the presidential hopeful even said that he was the best candidate for female voters. This photo describes Donald Trump's war on women, and just how awful of a candidate he'd be for all voters concerned with reproductive rights.

The segment was set to air in the evening on MSNBC, but the story of Trump's statements on abortion has only drawn more heat. Trump was rather evasive when Matthews asked him to make a clear statement on his pro-life stance. He said he considers abortion a very serious problem and shirked the concerns of Matthews, who stated that a ban wouldn't prevent those seeking abortion to go about it through medically risky means. Finally, when Matthews asked if The Donald meant to punish women seeking abortions, Trump said that "the answer is that there has to be some form of punishment."

The fact that Trump proclaimed he'd be the best candidate for women over a news ticker with the words "Trump calls for abortion ban, punishment" is contradictory at best. The Donald has proven time and again that his stance on women is particularly troubling. His views on abortion, however, are far less consistent than the sexism and misogyny he's become known for. Up until 2011, Trump was staunchly pro-choice. He appears to have not only changed his mind, but actually reversed his position to an extreme.

The Trump campaign issued a statement to MSNBC following the footage's release, appearing to be blindsided by its impact. He now appears to have changed his mind yet again. The statement reads:

This issue is unclear and should be put back into the states for determination. Like Ronald Reagan, I am pro-life with exceptions, which I have outlined numerous times.

The man who may very soon become the Republican presidential nominee and the self-proclaimed best candidate for women has done nothing to clarify his stance on abortion. Trump certainly hasn't bolstered his claim that he's good for women politically. His opaque statements only stoke the worries of reproductive rights advocates and all who seek a strong candidate for the GOP.