Statements to Fox News and Michigan Rally
During an interview with a Fox News reporter on Friday, Trump stated, “You know some of the states, like Minnesota and other states have it where you can actually execute the baby after birth. And all of that stuff is unacceptable.”
Source: Alex Wong/Getty Images
This remark came in response to a question about whether he would support Florida’s Amendment 4, which aims to establish a constitutional right for women to obtain an abortion in the state. A day earlier, while campaigning in Michigan, Trump made a similar statement, telling his audience, “In six states you’re allowed to kill the baby after the baby is born. And you know, one of those states is Minnesota.”
The Reality of State Laws
In reality, no U.S. state, including Minnesota, allows for the killing of a baby after birth, a fact confirmed by numerous fact-checks.
Source: Joshua Woods/Unsplash
Nonetheless, Trump, who appointed three conservative Supreme Court justices and frequently takes credit for the overturning of Roe v. Wade, continues to include this false claim in his campaign speeches, interviews, and during his debate against President Biden on June 27.
Origins of the Infanticide Claim
Trump first introduced the false narrative that some Democrat-led states allow infanticide during his 2019 State of the Union address, three years before the Supreme Court overturned Roe.
Source: Omar Lopez/Unsplash
This narrative has persisted in his rhetoric as he continues to address the issue of abortion in his public statements.
Targeting Governor Northam
In his 2019 speech, Trump criticized then-Virginia Governor Ralph Northam, a Democrat, accusing him of saying he would “execute a baby after birth.” Northam had provoked Republican anger with comments he made regarding a hypothetical scenario in which a woman requests an abortion during labor due to severe fetal deformities or non-viability.
Source: Wikimedia
Northam stated that “the infant would be delivered. The infant would be kept comfortable. The infant would be resuscitated if that’s what the mother and the family desired,” but he did not suggest that an abortion could be performed after birth.
The Virginia Bill
Northam also supported a proposed state law that would have allowed doctors and patients to decide on performing late-term abortions.
Source: Rebecca Noble/Getty Images
However, this bill was never passed and is not the law in Virginia, a fact that did not stop Trump from using it as part of his argument against abortion rights in his speeches.
False Claims About New York
During his State of the Union address, Trump also falsely claimed, “You have New York state and other places that passed legislation where you’re allowed to kill the baby after birth.”
Source: Tierney L. Cross/Getty Images
No such legislation exists in any state, yet Trump has continued to use this rhetoric to rally his base.
Abortion as a Key Election Issue
Despite the persistent falsehood, a growing number of Americans cite abortion as their top issue in the 2024 election. Following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe, abortion rights have become a significant concern for Democrats.
Source: Gayatri Malhotra/Unsplash
A May Gallup poll found that 85% of Americans believe abortion should be legal under certain circumstances, and a June Associated Press/NORC poll revealed that 70% support legal abortion in all or most cases. Additionally, an April Yahoo News/YouGov poll indicated that a growing majority of Americans favor Congress passing a law that would restore Roe v. Wade protections.
Public Opinion on Abortion Restrictions
However, polls also show that most Americans support some restrictions on when abortions can be performed.
Source: Freepik
A 2023 NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll found that 66% of respondents believe abortion should be allowed only within the first three months of pregnancy, while 34% believe it should be permitted in the first six months or at any time during pregnancy.
Trump's Focus on Late-Term Abortions
This sentiment might explain why Trump continues to focus on late-term abortions.
Source: Ali Shaker/VOA/Wikimedia Commons
Last week, he stated, “The Democrats are radical because the nine months is just a ridiculous situation, where you can do an abortion in the ninth month.”
State Laws on Abortion Timing
While it’s true that six U.S. states — Colorado, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, and Vermont — do not restrict when an abortion can be performed before birth, nationwide, only about 1% of all abortions in the U.S. occur after 21 weeks of gestation, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Source: Freepik
This statistic highlights the rarity of late-term abortions, countering the narrative Trump has promoted.
The Broader Context
As Trump continues to make false claims about state laws and late-term abortions, the issue of abortion rights remains a central topic in the national political debate.
Source: Adam Bettcher/Getty Images
The ongoing discussion reflects deep divisions in American society over reproductive rights and the role of government in personal medical decisions.