Trump, Harris spar over abortion, exceptions and IVF

(NewsNation) — After the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, access to abortion has been a contentious issue, including in the first debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Abortion

During the 90-minute debate, Trump falsely said Democrats support abortions in the third trimester and after birth. No state in the country allows termination after birth.

Harris reminded voters that Trump has bragged that his three Supreme Court appointees were instrumental in the decision after nearly a half-century of women having a constitutional right to terminate a pregnancy.

“Trump abortion bans make no exception for rape and incest,” Harris said.

Trump said he stands for exceptions for rape and incest before saying most Americans want to have abortion returned to the states.

Trump refuses to commit to vetoing national abortion ban

He refused to commit to vetoing a national abortion ban. When asked directly if he would veto a ban, Trump indicated Congress wouldn’t need to pass one. 

“I’m not in favor of an abortion ban, but it doesn’t matter, because this issue has now been taken over by the states,” Trump said. “I wouldn’t have to.” 

Harris said women do not want abortion bans, speaking about women who are miscarrying and denied care because doctors are afraid to go to jail and young teens who are incest victims being forced to give birth. Harris committed to signing a bill to protect the right to abortion across the U.S.

She warned that Trump would sign a national abortion ban, referencing Project 2025, and said Americans believe the freedom to make decisions about their body should not be controlled by the government.

“The government and Donald Trump should not be telling a woman what to do with her body,” Harris said, recollecting stories of women who went through miscarriages and rape victims.

Trump claimed he has been a leader for the access to in vitro fertilization (IVF). He and Harris went back and forth over the possibility of abortion in the eighth or ninth month, which is usually performed because of medical complications affecting the mother or fetus.

Republican-run states across the country have since implemented near or total bans on surgical abortions.

The new poll conducted by The New York Times/Siena College found more voters support Harris’ views on abortion rights.

What they have previously said on abortion

Trump

• The former president wouldn’t initially say during a town hall whether he supports a federal abortion ban.
• He called the overturning of the landmark abortion rights case Roe v. Wade “a great victory” during a CNN town hall.
• In April 2024, he said on his social media platform Truth Social that it’d be best if states handled abortion the way their constituents want, adding he’s in favor of exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother.
• Also said on Truth Social that he “strongly” supports fertility treatments and that he “has never and will never” advocate for restricting birth control and other contraceptives.

Harris

• Harris is aligned with Biden in her view on abortion, going as far as saying last month “everything is at stake” regarding women’s reproductive rights.
• The vice president is in favor of ensuring all American women have access to legal abortions.
• “Every person of whatever gender should understand that, if such a fundamental freedom such as the right to make decisions about your own body can be taken, be aware of what other freedoms may be at stake,” Harris said in a joint MSNBC interview with Hadley Duvall, an abortion rights advocate from Kentucky who was raped by her stepfather as a child.
• Harris falsely wrote on X that Trump would ban abortion nationwide. She then added: “President Joe Biden and I will do everything in our power to stop him and restore women’s reproductive freedom.”
• Harris also visited a Planned Parenthood clinic in Minnesota in March, describing the banning or heavy restriction of abortions as “immoral.”
• “How dare these elected leaders believe they are in a better position to tell women what they need,” Harris said at the time. “We have to be a nation that trusts women.”

The Associated Press and NewsNation’s Steph Whiteside contributed to this report.

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