Republican presidential nominee and former US president Donald Trump addressed a campaign rally at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta, Georgia, on October 15, 2024. — AFP
During a campaign event on Wednesday, Donald Trump attempted to position himself as the 'father of IVF' while speaking to an all-female audience. He claimed support for a fertility treatment that Democrats argue he has endangered. The Republican candidate did not elaborate on his statement, which is part of a series of inconsistent positions he has taken on reproductive rights, a significant vulnerability in his bid for the White House.
'I want to talk about IVF. I'm the father of IVF, so I want to hear this question,' Trump told Fox News in Georgia, a crucial swing state, as the discussion turned to in vitro fertilization. 'We really are the party for IVF. We want fertilization, and it's all the way, and the Democrats tried to attack us on it and we're out there on IVF even more than them.'
Ahead of the November 5 vote, both Trump and his Democratic rival Kamala Harris have been reaching out to undecided voters who do not rely on traditional media. Despite addressing a supportive crowd, the topic remained challenging as many women are disillusioned by his stance on reproductive rights and his overall campaign.
Trump's position on the issue has been inconsistent over the past 15 years, initially identifying as 'pro-choice' before advocating for 'some form of punishment' for women seeking abortions. In August, he announced that a second term would guarantee free IVF, sparking controversy over a procedure that anti-abortion advocates wish to restrict.
Simultaneously, he touts his appointment of Supreme Court justices who ended federal protections for abortion access in 2022. However, he has recently expressed concern that Republicans may be out of touch with voters. Reproductive rights activists worry that the Supreme Court's decision threatens IVF, a concern heightened by a February ruling in Alabama that classified frozen embryos as people, causing several clinics to temporarily halt treatments.
Harris, who has made defending reproductive rights a cornerstone of her campaign, criticized Trump's claims of supporting IVF. 'What is he talking about?' Harris said on X. 'His abortion bans have already jeopardized access to it in states across the country — and his own platform could end IVF altogether.'
The Harris campaign held a press call before the interview, highlighting the case of Amber Thurman, a 28-year-old mother who died in Georgia due to delays in receiving care for complications from a medication abortion. Numerous states have tightened restrictions on the procedure since the Supreme Court's ruling, and Trump acknowledged that some measures were 'too tough,' promising that even Republican states would moderate over time.
Georgia, which set records on the first day of early voting, is one of the most contested election battlegrounds, with the race currently deadlocked in polls. Trump also addressed questions about his economic and immigration plans, promising to cut energy prices by 50 percent within a year and expand the child tax credit. He reiterated a view that led to accusations of fascism from the Harris campaign, labeling Democrats as America's 'enemy within.' Despite an opportunity to retract his statement, he defended his comments.
