Key Points
- Donald Trump described himself as the "father of IVF" and said he wanted to talk about the issue.
- It comes after some women have expressed concerns about potential restrictions on fertility treatments.
- Trump's campaign later said while the comment was a joke, he strongly supports access to fertility treatments.
Donald Trump has called himself the "father of IVF" at a town hall for women voters, as the Republican presidential candidate tries to convince the crucial voting bloc they can trust him on reproductive issues.
Trump, who is trailing
in popularity among women voters ahead of the United States election, suggested he was eager to discuss the issue at an all-women event hosted by Fox News in Georgia. The state is among a handful likely to decide the election.
"I want to talk about IVF. I'm the father of IVF, so I want to hear this question," he said.
Hearing that some women were concerned about possible restrictions on fertility treatments, Trump emphasised his party's support for the procedure, even though some conservative Republicans do not support in-vitro fertilisation (IVF).
"We really are the party for IVF," he said.
"We want fertilisation that is all the way, and the Democrats tried to attack us on it, and we're out there on IVF, even more than them."
Senate Republicans blocked Democratic-led legislation designed to protect IVF access twice in recent months, with some Republicans arguing the legislation is unnecessary as IVF access is not in danger.
IVF emerged as a hot-button issue in the election after the
. That ruling left it unclear how to legally store, transport and use embryos, prompting some IVF patients to consider moving their frozen embryos out of the state.
Republicans nationwide scrambled to contain the backlash from the decision, while Democrats warned more reproductive rights could be under threat.
Trump's campaign team has said he was joking when he said he was the "father of IVF". Source: AP / Alex Brandon
Trump's campaign described his "father of IVF" comment as a joke.
"It was a joke President Trump made in jest when he was enthusiastically answering a question about IVF as he strongly supports widespread access to fertility treatments for women and families," spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said.
Harris, when asked about Trump's comments, warned against being "distracted by his choice of words".
"The reality is his actions have been very harmful to women and families in America on this issue," she told reporters.
Trump also fielded questions about immigration, guns and abortion, including whether he agrees with his wife, Melania Trump, who says in a new memoir that
"Do you agree with her?" he was asked.
Trump said he encourages Melania to support what she wants to support — and plugged the book.
Asked to name three things he likes about Democratic presidential nominee Harris, Trump said: "She seems to have an ability to survive."
"Because she was out of the race, and all of a sudden, she's running for president," he said.
Harris made a direct appeal to Republican voters on Wednesday, as she highlighted the party's support for her campaign in a battleground county in Pennsylvania before appearing on Fox News.
In Bucks County, outside of Philadelphia, she emphasised Trump's push to overturn his election loss four years ago, when he lost the White House to President Joe Biden.
Harris said Trump's actions violated the US constitution and, if given the chance, he will violate it again.
"He [Trump] refused to accept the will of the people and the results of a free and fair election. He sent a mob, an armed mob, to the United States Capitol, where they violently assaulted police officers, law enforcement officials and threatened the life of his own vice president," she said.
Over 100 Republicans joined Harris in Bucks County, including Adam Kinzinger, a former congressman and member of the committee that investigated the
by supporters of then-president Trump.
"No matter your party, no matter who you voted for last time, there is a place for you in this campaign," Harris said.
English (US) ·