Michigan Republicans enlist extremist who opposed abortion for rape victims because “God put them in this moment”

Special Programs Abortion Rights & Reproductive Health

Written by Eric Hananoki

Published

Updated

Garrett Soldano

Michigan Republicans have been featuring extremist commentator Garrett Soldano as a speaker at numerous campaign events. 

Soldano has stated that he opposes abortion for rape victims because “God put them in this moment.” He has also referred to abortion as a “get out of jail free card,” said that he opposes Plan B, called on his followers to form militias, and suggested that the “deep state” is going to stage “false flag” events in the coming months. 

Soldano is a right-wing commentator who streams online and hosts a podcast. In 2022, he unsuccessfully ran for governor, losing during the primary. He gained notoriety in Michigan during the pandemic when he formed a group opposing COVID-19 safety measures. 

Michigan Republicans have been featuring Soldano as a campaign speaker in recent months. 

In May, Soldano emceed a Republican fundraiser that also featured state GOP chair Pete Hoekstra. In June, he spoke at an event featuring North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum for the Michigan GOP and Trump Force, which serves as the RNC- and Trump campaign-backed canvassing effort for Trump. In July, Soldano spoke at the opening of an office in Portage for Trump Force 47. In August, the Michigan GOP featured him in a Trump volunteer recruitment video. He also spoke at a Republican fundraising dinner. 

And this past weekend, he spoke at a Trump Force 47 event with Republican U.S. Senate nominee Mike Rogers in Iron Mountain, Michigan. The two then spoke at a Republican event in Houghton. Rogers has also appeared on Soldano’s podcast.

Soldano additionally spoke at a Turning Point Action event in August and met Trump in June 2023 when the former president was in the state. 

Soldano has a history of toxic rhetoric and views. Here is a summary. 

Soldano said he opposes abortion for rape victims because “God put them in this moment.” During a guest appearance on a January 2022 podcast, as Heartland Signal reported at the time, Soldano criticized the idea of providing abortion for rape victims. He stated:  

GARRETT SOLDANO: How about we start inspiring women in the culture to let them understand and know how heroic they are and how unbelievable that they are — that God put them in this moment, and they don’t know that little baby inside them may be the next president. May be the next person that changes humanity, may get us out of the situation, maybe in the future. We don’t know that. That is what we must do is start to create that culture.

He declined to moderate his position after criticism. For instance, he said during a July 2022 interview with a right-wing organization that he is “unapologetically pro-life from conception,” explaining, “No, no nothing. You don't get a get out of jail free card. I don't care what happened.” He then discussed criticism of his remarks about rape victims and said: “I was crucified for that. What would a politician do? They would retract their statement. … What did I do? I doubled down.” 

Soldano this year dismissed abortion as something that isn’t a “real issue” and claimed that the public cares more about other matters. 

Soldano said he wants to ban Plan B. Heartland Signal also documented in 2022 that Soldano said “he’d ban Plan B in cases where ‘conception happens.’” He then added: “Now, if you can prove conception didn’t happen, you can use it.” The outlet noted the problem with Soldano’s statement: 

Soldano’s stipulation is inconsistent with how Plan B works, as there is no possible way to “prove conception didn’t happen” during the window in which Plan B can be used. Plan B is only effective for three days after intercourse, hence why it’s known as the “morning-after” pill. The earliest possible pregnancy test can give results no sooner than 10 days after conception. Therefore, requiring proof of no conception in order to buy Plan B would effectively outlaw it. 

Soldano called on his followers to form militias after predicting that armed attacks are “coming our way.” During an episode of his podcast in October 2023, Soldano aired video of alleged undocumented immigrants at the “Arizona/Mexico border” and then painted a violent picture of the future, stating: 

GARRETT SOLDANO: Imagine what you just saw with just a quarter of those military-age men that I just showed you if they had AK-47s and access to M4s, or ARs, or anything else, or even handguns. Imagine arming ten of them and then allowing them to go into a densely populated area — downtown Chicago, New York, anywhere. To your children's school. Imagine the damage that they can inflict. That is unfortunately what I feel is coming our way over the next 12 to 14 months. And folks, this is brought to you by the Biden administration. If you voted for him, you voted for this, and you are voting for what's coming. And blood will be on your hands. 

He then called for people to form militias that would support law enforcement and the National Guard “when this shit hits the fan.” (He stated that he does not believe in “anti-government militias.”) 

GARRET SOLDANO: So what do you do? I firmly believe in local militias. I do. Not anti-government militias. I'm talking about good, ordinary folks that are willing to protect their communities by supporting local law enforcement, by supporting the National Guard if need be, because they're going to need our support when this shit hits the fan. 

Soldano suggested the “deep state” would orchestrate a “false flag.” As the Guardian defined it, the concept of a false flag event “is the idea that powerful forces routinely arrange massacres or terrorist atrocities, and make it appear as if some other individual or group did them, in order to achieve their sinister political goals.” 

Soldano said on social media on July 1, 2024: “Be ready for a false flag. The Deep State will not give up power so easily. They know that if Trump wins, it’s accountability time.” 

Correction (9/5/24): This piece has been updated to make clear that Trump met Soldano in June 2023, not June of this year.