Trump repeats the false claim that Democrats support abortion ‘after birth’ in debate

This story first appeared in NPR’s live blog of the presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. Follow along for live updates, fact checks and analysis.

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In Tuesday’s presidential debate, former President Donald Trump again falsely claimed that Democrats support abortions “after birth” and “executing” babies.

It’s an attack line Trump has used repeatedly to paint Democrats as radical on issues of reproductive rights. But as ABC News anchor Linsey Davis mentioned during her real-time fact check, there is no state where it is legal to kill a baby after birth. A report from KFF earlier this year also noted that abortions “after birth” are illegal in every state.

According to the Pew Research Center, the overwhelming majority of abortions — 93% — take place during the first trimester. Pew says 1% take place after 21 weeks. Most of those take place before 24 weeks, the approximate timeline for fetal viability, according to a report by KFF Health News.

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An analysis from KFF earlier this year noted that later abortions are expensive to obtain and offered by relatively few providers, and often occur because of medical complications or because patients face barriers earlier in their pregnancies.

“Nowhere in America is a woman carrying a pregnancy to term and asking for an abortion. That isn’t happening; it’s insulting to the women of America,” Vice President Kamala Harris said on the debate stage Tuesday.

Trump was apparently referring to a statement by former Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, who is also a pediatric neurologist. Northam faced controversy in 2019 over his response to a question about how to care for an infant born with fatal complications.

As Davis also noted, Trump has offered mixed messages about abortion over the course of the campaign. He has bragged about his instrumental role in overturning Roe v. Wade, while appearing to backpedal on an issue that polling makes clear is a liability for Republicans.

When pressed on whether he would veto a national abortion ban into law if one were to come to his desk, Trump declined to get specific. Harris warned that if elected, Trump “will sign a national abortion ban.”

Trump has repeatedly called for leaving abortion policy to the states, but anti-abortion rights activists — who make up a key part of the Republican base — have called on Republican elected officials to work toward national abortion restrictions. Passage of a federal abortion ban would require Republicans to control both the presidency and both houses of Congress.

In one exchange, Trump reiterated a campaign pledge not to sign such a law.

“It’s a lie. I’m not signing a ban, and there’s no reason to sign a ban,” Trump said, later adding, “It doesn’t matter, because this issue has now been taken over by the states.”

Asked by a moderator if he would veto such a bill if it came before him, Trump responded, “I won’t have to.”

He then changed the subject to student loan policy.

After the moderator noted that Trump’s running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, has said he would veto such a law, Trump said, “Well, I didn’t discuss it with JD, in all fairness.”

He went on, “We don’t have to discuss it, because she’d never be able to get it,” suggesting that Democrats are unlikely to get the votes to pass a bill that would enshrine abortion rights.