Trump Receives Bipartisan Criticism for Calling Himself the ‘Father of IVF’
Former President Donald Trump has caused an uproar from both liberals and conservatives on social media after giving himself a news nickname on Tuesday.
During his Fox News town hall event, the 78-year-old referred to himself as the “father” of in-vitro fertilization (IVF), the popular fertility treatment.
Trump made the comment while talking to Fox News host Harris Faulkner, who moderated the all-female event.
“We really are the party for IVF,” he said. “I’m the father of IVF.”
Democrats were quick to condemn his remarks, starting with Vice President Kamala Harris, who criticized the former president in an X post.
“Donald Trump called himself ‘the father of IVF,’” Harris wrote. “What is he talking about? His abortion bans have already jeopardized access to it in states across the country—and his own platform could end IVF altogether.”
While on the campaign trail, Harris told MSNBC that his statement was “quite bizarre.”
The Harris campaign also commented on Trump’s statement.
“FACT CHECK: IVF is under threat across the country because Trump ended Roe v. Wade and his Project 2025 plan could effectively ban IVF altogether,” it wrote.
“Trump is unhinged,” wrote David Plouffe, a senior adviser for Kamala Harris for President. “The father of IVF? He is the godfather of eliminating Roe V Wade, his proudest accomplishment. Has led to Trump abortion bans in 20 states. And his Project 2025 would give him unchecked power to enact nationwide bans on abortion.”
Gwen Walz, the wife of Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, said that Trump was “the father of Georgia’s abortion ban while campaigning in the Peach State.
Trump’s comment also faced criticism from conservatives, especially Christians and Catholics.
“I wonder whether Trump saying he’s the ‘father of IVF’ and sounding such a pro-IVF note is going to further alienate pro-life Catholics, especially,” wrote Republican strategist Liz Mair. “He keeps saying stuff that gives strongly pro-life people less and less of a reason to bother voting for him.”
“IVF is not pro-life. It is not pro-family. It is evil and must be abolished,” wrote a pro-life user.
“Who are these women to make IVF an important issue when it has been a gateway to destroy life and allow gay men to use surrogates as a commodity to have a designer baby,” Christian user Terri Green wrote in response.
In a different post, Green accused Trump’s ideation on IVF “wrongheaded thinking.”
Despite their opposition to IVF, some users said the issue would not prevent them from voting for him.
“VF is anti Catholic but I’m still voting for Trump,” one Catholic user commented.
While many Christians and Catholics criticized Trump’s self-labeling, Faith & Freedom Coalition Chair Ralph Reed said that his conservative group has no issues with IVF.
“Obviously, there are moral and ethical concerns,” he said, per the Daily Mail. “We can work through those issues.”
Many Catholics and Christians condemn the procedure because the embryos that are not used during the process are destroyed, which ends human lives.
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