By James Myers, OAN Staff
Friday, August 30, 2024 3:12 PM
President Donald Trump suggested Thursday that as president he might implement a policy to cover the costs of in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments.
advertisement
“I'm making an important statement today: Under a Trump administration, the government will either cover or insurance companies will be required to cover all costs associated with IVF treatment,” the former president said at a campaign event in Potterville, Michigan.
“Because, to put it very politely, we want more babies. And for the same reason, we will also allow new parents to deduct the significant expenses of a new baby from their taxes so that parents with beautiful babies… we care about family,” Trump continued.
“But IVF treatments are expensive. It's very difficult for a lot of people to do IVF or have IVF treatment, but I've supported IVF from the beginning,” Trump added.
“So we will either pay for that care or require the insurance company to pay,” he added.
Trump did not elaborate on what the mandate would look like — he's still working out the details and what it would mean for American couples — but reiterated that he's “always in favor of IVF.” NBC Reported.
IVF “helps women, men and families,” Trump added.
Trump's comments on IVF drew attention from online social media users, who drew similarities between his views and those of billionaire SpaceX owner Elon Musk, who has similarly expressed concerns about the population shortage.
“Depopulation due to declining birth rates is a far greater risk to civilization than global warming,” Musk has previously written online.
Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris's campaign slammed Trump's IVF announcement as “one of the most brazen lies ever”.
“Donald Trump's policies could effectively ban IVF and abortion across the country. Trump lies more than he breathes, but voters are not stupid. IVF is already under attack as Trump overturned Roe v. Wade, taking away women's freedoms in states across the country,” Sarafina Chitica, a spokesperson for the Harris-Waltz campaign, said in a statement.
However, the claim that President Trump was personally responsible for overturning Roe v. Wade is untrue; it was the U.S. Supreme Court that was responsible for formally overturning it in 2022.
IVF has become a central issue in the upcoming election after the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos and fertilized eggs are still considered human beings legally and that those who destroy them can be held liable for deaths.
The ruling led to a near halt to IVF services in the Yellow Hammer State, but lawmakers quickly passed a bill addressing civil and criminal liability for IVF providers, allowing services to resume.
In his Michigan speech, Trump reiterated his belief that abortion policies should be decided by states individually, and said he supported exceptions in cases of rape, incest or if the mother's life is at risk.
In an interview NBC President Trump was asked on Thursday how he would vote on Florida's abortion referendum in November: A “no” vote would put into effect the six-week abortion ban signed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis last year.
Trump campaign spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt said: CNN“President Trump has not yet said how he will vote in Florida's referendum, only reiterating that he believes six weeks is too short.”
Stay up to date! Receive the latest news directly in your email for free. Sign up here: https://www.oann.com/alerts
Advertisement below
Please share this post!
