Trump declares himself ‘father of IVF’ on Fox News, Kamala Harris fires back

At a Fox News town hall in Georgia, a key swing state, focused on women’s issues, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, 78, called himself the “father of IVF” (in vitro fertilisation), a claim that has sparked confusion about his stance on reproductive rights.
Reproductive rights have become a key issue for American voters. During the first presidential debate, Democratic nominee Kamala Harris, 59, exchanged sharp barbs with Donald Trump over abortion and reproductive rights.
IVF, a fertility treatment that helps couples conceive, has come under scrutiny since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade in 2022, which has led to legal and political clashes over reproductive health care.
“We really are the party for IVF. We want fertilisation, 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 said, during the event, CNN reported.
However, it remains unclear how Trump plans to support IVF, especially given the legal threats against it in conservative states.
Democrats, led by Vice President Kamala Harris, quickly took to X to criticise Trump.
“Donald Trump called himself ‘the father of IVF’. What is he talking about?”
“His abortion bans have already jeopardised access to it in states across the country—and his own platform could end IVF altogether,” she added.
Earlier this year, Alabama’s Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos should be considered children, meaning those who destroy them could be liable for wrongful death. This ruling raised concerns that IVF access could be jeopardised, with fears that doctors may refuse to perform the procedure and costs would increase, reported CNN.
In response to the Alabama ruling, Trump promised to make IVF free for all but did not clarify how it would be funded.
Meanwhile, Senate Democrats have proposed legislation to protect IVF access nationwide, but Republicans have blocked the bill, saying it is unnecessary, reported CNN.
Trump also addressed the controversial issue of abortion during the town hall. He criticised some states’ abortion laws as “too tough”, adding that those laws would be revised.
However, Trump reaffirmed his belief that abortion rights should be left to individual states and expressed support for exceptions in cases of rape, incest, or danger to the mother’s life.
Trump’s stance on abortion has often been unclear, but he recently said he would veto any federal abortion ban.
His running mate, Senator JD Vance, acknowledged that Republicans face challenges on this issue, emphasising the need to regain public trust.