Donald Trump declared himself to be the “father of IVF” at a Fox News townhall on Wednesday.
Trump sat for a town hall with Georgia women voters, where he was asked about his positions on in vitro fertilization (IVF).
“I want to talk about IVF. I’m the father of IVF, so I want to hear this question,” he said.
The question was from a pro-life audience member who asked Trump what he would tell women who are struggling to have children and are worried about their ability to access fertility treatments.
Trump responded by crediting the “young” and “fantastically attractive” Senator Katie Britt (R-AL) for making him support IVF. He claimed the senator called him after the Alabama Supreme Court ruled earlier this year that frozen embryos are people. The decision led to IVF clinics in the state temporarily suspending services.
“She said, ‘I was attacked.’ In a certain way, ‘I was attacked.’ And I said, ‘Explain IVF very quickly.’ And within about two minutes I understood it. I said, ‘No, no, we’re totally in favor of IVF,’” Trump said. “I came out with a statement within an hour, a really powerful statement with some experts, really powerful. And we we went totally in favor.”
Trump has been trying to take credit for saving IVF, but critics have pointed out that the fertility treatment would not be under attack if he hadn’t appointed three conservative justice to the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade in the first place.
Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee fired back at Trump in a post on X.
“Donald Trump called himself ‘the father of IVF.’ What is he talking about?” Harris posted. “His abortion bans have already jeopardized access to it in states across the country—and his own platform could end IVF altogether.”
Hareis also told reporters that she finds it “bizarre” that Trump would deem himself to be the “father of IVF.”
“If what he meant is taking responsibility, well then yeah he should take responsibility for the fact that one in three women in America lives in a Trump abortion ban state,” Harris told reporter Wednesday. “What he should take responsibility for is that couple a who are praying, hoping and working towards growing a family are now being disappointed and harmed now that IVF treatments are now being put at risk.”
“Let’s not distracted by his choice of words,” Harris added. “The reality is his actions have been very harmful to woman and families in America on this issue.”
