By Mikaila Bluew
Presidential candidate Donald Trump claims that running mate Kamala Harris along with other Democrats support “after-birth” abortion rights for women.
“Her vice-presidential pick says abortion in the ninth month is absolutely fine,” said Donald Trump regarding Tim Walz “He also says execution after birth–it’s execution, no longer abortion, because the baby is born–is OK,” he stated. According to a CBS News article Fact-Checking Trump’s statements during the 2024 Presidential Debate.
This misinformation first appeared from statements made by former Virginia Governor Ralph Northam regarding Virginia House Bill 2491 in 2019. Two articles by FactCheck.com Verify information is taken from a portion of the bill permitting second trimester abortion only in cases where the pregnancy would cause death or physical impairment on the mother. Donald Trump first spoke about this incident at a 2019 Florida rally where he mischaracterized statements made by Northam in a radio interview discussing the bill.
Articles surrounding the original controversy regarding Governor Northam led to memes that sparked public outrage on this topic. Claims of Northam condoning “infanticide” began to spread. According to Snopes.com Kamala Harris was first connected to these claims in 2020 due to assertions made by Donald Trump, where she initially spoke out against the accusation. Multiple news articles covered the latest addition to the misinformation surrounding the topic after Donald Trump reiterated his claims in the 2024 debate. News platforms such as The Washington Post, and CBS released articles fact-checking the abortion rights information discussed. NPR Network also had a live update fact-check while the event took place.
The claims of any “after-birth” abortion rights being supported by any individual or party are false. Though Presidential Candidate Kamala Harris is a co-sponsor of the 2019 Women’s Health Protection Act that prohibits post-viability abortion bans that do not make exceptions for women’s health risks; she has released statements covered by PBS regarding the topic.
“Nowhere in America is a woman carrying a pregnancy to term and asking for an abortion–that is not happening. It’s insulting to the women of America,” Harris said.
Both for the current instance of this topic being discussed in the media and its predecessor in 2019 social media spread these claims rapidly. The initial conversation surrounding House Bill 2491 ignited a slew of memes about the former Governor of Virginia. President Donald Trump endorsing these claims at the Florida rally and the Presidential Debate only fueled the fire surrounding the topic.
The controversy over abortion laws allows for this topic to garner outrage and anger in the media. This concern is debated online, as everyone has a different opinion on how abortion rights within the United States should be handled. Trump expressing the misinformation as fact, paired with the connotations surrounding discussions on abortion, allowed for information to spread rapidly.
The emotion surrounding this subject played a role in why so many individuals believed it. The endorsement of a figurehead that many people look up to, especially during an election year offered validation to these false claims for many as well.
Stating that a person, or group of people are endorsing the “execution of babies” is a statement designed to enrage the population. This information may skew opinions regarding the election. Bringing this assertion back in the current election and doubling down on the disinformation is dangerously altering the narrative of what occurred. Even in cases where knowing the facts does not change how a voter may decide their vote, every individual deserves the full truth surrounding the sensitive topics covered in this election.
