Donald Trump demanded during Tuesdays debate that Kamala Harris answer to radical Democratic policies that would allow late-term pregnancies and executions of newborns.
The former president told the ABC News moderators that they should press Harris on whether she supports abortion in the final months of pregnancy – only doing so through the anchors because the rules dictate that candidates cannot pose questions to one another on stage.
Trump claimed there are cases where Democrats want to legalize abortion in the sixth, seventh or eighth month of pregnancy.
He even said that there are liberals who want to allow newborns to die if they are delivered and the mother decides she wants to abort.
The claim stems from a 2019 abortion proposal in Virginia that would loosen regulations on late-term abortion.
Donald Trump says that Democrats want to allow execution of babies by referencing 2019 Virginia bill that then-Gov. Ralph Northam classified by saying: The infant would be delivered; the infant would be kept comfortable... And then a discussion would ensue between the physicians and the mother
They have abortion in the ninth month… The [Virginia] governor before – he said the baby will be born and we will decide what to do with the baby. In other words, well execute the baby, Trump said on stage at the debate in Philadelphia.
The Democrats are radical in that, he continued. But her vice presidential pick says abortion in the ninth month is absolutely fine. He also says execution after birth – its execution, no longer abortion because the baby is born – is OK. And thats not OK with me.
ABC News moderator Linsey Davis live-time fact checked Trump at the conclusion of his answer on abortion.
There is no state in this country where it is legal to kill a baby after its born, she said said before giving Vice President Harris a chance to respond.
Well, as I said youre going to hear a bunch of lies, and thats not actually a surprising fact, she replied.
Virginias proposed abortion law garnered widespread attention in January 2019.
Then-Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam said at the time: If a mother is in labor, I can tell you exactly what would happen: the infant would be delivered; the infant would be kept comfortable, the infant would be resuscitated if thats what the mother and the family desired.
And then a discussion would ensue between the physicians and the mother, he said.
This is the comment that has been jumped on by Republicans to claim that pro-abortion advocates want to see babies die if they were born to a mother who wants to terminate her pregnancy.
Debate moderators pressed Harris on whether she supports implementing any restrictions on abortion, which she dodged.
I absolutely support reinstating the protections of Roe v. Wade, the vice president replied. And as you rightly mentioned, nowhere in America is a woman carrying a pregnancy to term and asking for an abortion. That is not happening, that is insulting to the women of America.
Trump shot back: I have to respond.
Trump demanded that Vice President Kamala Harris answer whether she would support late-term abortions in the sixth, seventh or eighth month of pregnancy
The Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022, opening the floodgates for states to regulate abortion rather than it being a federally protected medical procedure
You should ask, will she allow abortion in the eighth month, ninth month, seventh month? he said to the moderators but was clearly speaking to Harris.
Come on? the VP could be heard saying, though her microphone was muted since it was not her turn to speak.
OK, would you do that? Why dont you ask her that question? Trump pressed.
Under Roe v. Wade you could do abortions in the seventh month, the eighth month, the ninth month and probably after birth, he continued, as Harris could be seen on split screen shaking her head.
Just look at the former governor of Virginia. He said you put the baby aside and then we determine what we want to do with the baby.
During an interview with ABC News right after the showdown concluded, Harris running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz was asked to clarify if they would support late-term abortions or implement any restrictions.
Walz did not provide much clarity, and instead repeated that they would support reimplementation of Roe v. Wade, which provided federal-level protection and privacy from government when it came to medical decisions, including whether to get an abortion.