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(GEORGIA) — Former President Donald Trump participated in a Fox News interview on Tuesday night in front of an all-female audience in Cummings, Georgia. During the event, he addressed key issues to appeal to women voters, including the child tax credit, the economy, and reproductive rights, notably declaring himself the “father of IVF.”
Speaking to an enthusiastic crowd of over 100 women from various age groups, Trump aimed to connect with suburban voters in Forsyth County, a traditionally Republican area where Democratic influence has grown recently.
In his efforts to appeal to women voters, who represent the largest voting bloc in the 2024 election, Trump suggested that they would be “safer” under his leadership and that he would serve as a “protector” for women, asserting they “will no longer be thinking about abortion” should he regain the presidency.
During the aired segment on Wednesday morning, Trump was questioned about his views on abortion access and in vitro fertilization (IVF)—critical topics for voters in light of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in 2022. Trump frequently boasts about his influence over the Supreme Court’s ruling that eliminated the federal constitutional right to abortion.
“Oh, I want to talk about IVF. I’m the father of IVF,” Trump stated during the interview.
Sen. Katie Britt, who introduced the IVF Protection Act, reportedly provided Trump with insights on IVF. “Within about two minutes, I understood we’re totally in favor of IVF. I came out with a statement within an hour, a really powerful statement with some experts,” he added, emphasizing that “we really are the party for IVF. We want fertilization.”
Trump continued to express his views on abortion, indicating that states should have the authority to regulate the issue. He stated, “It’s back in the states, where they can have the vote of the people. It’s exactly where they want to be. Remember this, this issue has torn this country apart for 52 years. So we got it back in the states, we have a vote of the people, and it’s working its way through the system, and ultimately it’s going to do the right thing.”
At one point during the town hall, Trump suggested some states might need to revise their abortion laws, mentioning exceptions for rape and incest.
Critics of Trump quickly responded. One commentator noted that many women in America live in states with strict abortion bans and emphasized that couples seeking to grow their families have been adversely affected by the current risks to IVF treatments.
Organizations advocating for abortion rights, such as EMILY’s List and Planned Parenthood Action Fund, labeled Trump’s comments as out of touch with the majority of American sentiment. Jessica Mackler of EMILY’s List referred to Trump’s remarks as a “last-ditch attempt to deceive voters,” describing it as an insult to women.
Alexis McGill Johnson, the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Action Fund, added that Trump “cannot be trusted — not with our bodies, our lives, or our futures.”
Trump reiterated his views during a separate Fox News segment where he suggested that “the bigger problem is the enemy from within” when discussing the upcoming November election. He implied that if he were president, the military might need to intervene against his political opponents. When questioned about this, Trump suggested that his earlier comments were merely a “nice presentation” and denied being “unhinged.”
“It is the enemy from within, and they’re very dangerous,” Trump reiterated, responding to the criticism of his remarks.
During the event, a discussion arose regarding Democratic reactions to his appearance, particularly mentioning the family of Amber Thurman, a Georgia woman who died after complications from an abortion procedure due to the state’s six-week abortion ban. Faulkner noted the family had been on a press call with a senator. Instead of acknowledging the tragic event and the Thurman family’s grief, Trump shifted focus back to his town hall’s potential viewership.
