Trump triggers reproductive rights advocates by declaring himself "the father of IVF"

Cumming, Georgia - Donald Trump recently declared himself "the father of IVF" during a campaign event, and reproductive rights advocates are furious.

Donald Trump is receiving backlash from reproductive rights advocates after he declared himself "the father of IVF" during a recent town hall event.
Donald Trump is receiving backlash from reproductive rights advocates after he declared himself "the father of IVF" during a recent town hall event.  © Megan Varner / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

On Tuesday, Trump sat down for a town hall event in Georgia with Fox News anchor Harris Faulkner, which focused specifically on issues affecting female voters – a demographic he consistently does not poll well with.

As Faulkner began asking about in-vitro fertilization, Trump said, "I'm the father of IVF, so I want to hear this question."

He then argued that the Republican Party is "the party for IVF."

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"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," Trump stated. "So, we're totally in favor."

IVF is an expensive medical treatment that helps couples struggling with infertility to conceive. It became a big topic in the election back in February after conservative lawmakers in Alabama ruled that frozen embryos are children, essentially making the treatment illegal.

Trump's comments during the town hall have garnered criticism from reproductive healthcare advocates, who argue his attempts to win over female voters contradict his past actions and rhetoric.

Kamala Harris responds to Donald Trump's comment

Trump's remarks have been getting a lot of attention on social media. Many critics have been pointed out that the Republican installed three Supreme Court justices during his first administration who helped overturn Roe v. Wade – a strategic win for conservatives he regularly brags about.

On the campaign trail, Trump has regularly shifted on the subjects of abortion and IVF. Most recently, he announced that if elected, he will provide free IVF, which will be paid for either by insurance companies or the government.

In a post on X, his Democratic challenger Kamala Harris shared her reaction, asking, "What is he talking about?"

"His abortion bans have already jeopardized access to it in states across the country – and his own platform could end IVF altogether," Harris added.

Cover photo: Megan Varner / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

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