Donald Trump has told an all-female audience at an election campaign event he is “the father of IVF”, remarks his opponent Kamala Harris called “quite bizarre”.
With less than three weeks until the US presidential election, he said in a pre-recorded town hall event in the battleground state of Georgia that the Republicans “really are the party for IVF”.
In his interview with Fox News’s Harris Faulkner, to be aired later on Wednesday, he said: “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. So, we’re totally in favour.”
Responding to the former president’s claim, Ms Harris, his Democrat rival for the White House, asked on X: “What is he talking about?
“His abortion bans have already jeopardised access to it [IVF] in states across the country – and his own platform could end IVF altogether.”
Leaving a rally in Detroit, she told reporters the notion was “quite bizarre”.
She said her opponent should take responsibility for the fact that couples “praying and hoping” to start a family “have been so disappointed and harmed by the fact that IVF treatments have now been put at risk.”
She was referring to February’s ruling by the Alabama Supreme Court that the destruction of frozen embryos amounted to murder, classifying them as children.
The Republican-controlled state legislature later passed a law that sought to protect IVF patients and providers from liability.
Mr Trump and Republican congressional leaders have backed IVF following the ruling, which state Republicans and Democrats joined together to reverse.
Mr Trump revealed that after ruling, he asked the US Senator for Alabama, Katie Britt to explain IVF to him during a phone conversation said he understood it “within about two minutes”, telling Ms Britt “we’re totally in favour of IVF”.
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Mr Trump said in an interview with NBC News in August that if he is elected, his administration would not only protect access to the treatment but would also have either the government or insurance companies cover the cost.
He said it would be “free” if he was re-elected.
Asked about the row, Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said “the father of IVF” comment was “a joke”.
The former president was “enthusiastically answering a question about IVF as he strongly supports widespread access to fertility treatments for women and families”, she said.
Ms Harris continues to lead Mr Trump in nationwide polls, but questions remain over whether this will transfer into an election win.
Due to the nature of the US election, much of it relies on a few million voters in several key swing states, including Georgia and the outcome remains a virtual coin toss.
