Supreme Court abortion ruling updates: WH warns of ‘nightmare scenarios’

Former President Barack Obama responded to the Supreme Court decision, saying although this opinion was expected, "that doesn't make it any less devastating."

"Today, the Supreme Court not only reversed nearly 50 years of precedent, it relegated the most intensely personal decision someone can make to the whims of politicians and ideologues—attacking the essential freedoms of millions of Americans," he wrote in a statement.

The former president further called on people to support groups like Planned Parenthood and United State of Women that "have been sounding the alarm on this issue for years—and will continue to be on the front lines of this fight."

Anti-abortion groups praised the Supreme Court decision to overturn federal abortion rights on Friday.

"Today marks an historic human rights victory for unborn children and their mothers and a bright pro-life future for our nation,” said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of Susan B Anthony Pro-Life America, in a statement.

"Every legislature in the land, in every single state and Congress, is now free to allow the will of the people to make its way into the law through our elected representatives," Dannenfelser added.

Students for Life, another pro-abortion group, also called the ruling a "win," saying, "Roe v. Wade has been a cancer growing in our Constitution resulting in more than 63 million deaths. Today, the court has cut it out."

“The injustice of Roe has finally come to an end, and the momentum to protect life in law is finally on the side of innocent preborn children and their mothers who deserve our help,” said Students for Life President Kristan Hawkins.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, along with Republican Whip Rep. Steve Scalise and GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, immediately lauded the decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health.

"Every unborn child is precious, extraordinary, and worthy of protection," the trio of GOP leaders wrote in a statement minutes after the decision was announced. "We applaud this historic ruling, which will save countless innocent lives.

"The Supreme Court is right to return the power to protect the unborn to the people’s elected representatives in Congress and the states. In the days and weeks following this decision, we must work to continue to reject extreme policies that seek to allow late-term abortions and taxpayer dollars to fund these elective procedures."

McCarthy added "more work remains" to protect the most vulnerable among us.

The Supreme Court struck down 50 years of precedent on Friday, striking down abortion rights at the federal level.

"We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled," Justice Samuel Alito wrote in the majority opinion. "The Constitution makes no reference to abortion, and no such right is implicitly protected by any constitutional provision, including the one on which the defenders of Roe and Casey now chiefly rely—the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment."

For full details on the ruling, click here.