New York, Mar 30 (EFE).– Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump on Wednesday retracted comments he made about illegal abortion and said that doctors who perform such abortions are the ones who should be “legally responsible,” and not the women who have them.

The clarification came in an interview with MSNBC set to air Wednesday night but the announcement of which was released early by the network.

The real estate magnate and current favorite to win the Republican presidential nomination had said that he favored making abortions illegal except in certain specific circumstances.

When the interviewer asked him if a woman should be punished for having an illegal abortion, Trump responded that “There has to be some form of punishment.”

In a later statement released by his election campaign, Trump said that if abortion is made illegal “the doctor or any other person performing this illegal act upon a woman would be held legally responsible, not the woman.”

“The woman is a victim in this case, as is the life in her womb,” he said.

Trump added that his position on the matter “has not changed,” and that, just like former President Ronald Reagan, he is “pro-life with exceptions.”

The billionaire’s comments had sparked immediate reactions, such as from his Republican presidential rival John Kasich, who said he was completely against punishing women for having an abortion, a sentiment also held by pro-life activists.

“I think probably Donald Trump will figure out a way to say that he didn’t say it or he was misquoted or whatever,” Kasich told MSNBC. “I don’t think that’s an appropriate response.”

Meanwhile, the Democratic presidential favorite, Hillary Clinton, reacted on Twitter, saying “Just when you thought it wouldn’t get worse,” and calling Trump’s original comments “horrific and telling.” EFE