At a campaign rally in Michigan on Thursday, former President Trump promised that, if elected for a second term, he would require free in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments for women.
“I’m making a significant announcement today: under my administration, the government—or your insurance company—will cover all costs related to IVF treatments,” Trump declared to the audience at Alro Steel in Potterville, Michigan. “We want more babies, to put it simply.”
IVF treatments are known for their high costs, often reaching tens of thousands of dollars per cycle, with many women needing multiple attempts and no guarantee of success.
Trump also stated, “Additionally, we will allow new parents to deduct major newborn expenses from their taxes for the same reason.”
Trump’s recent announcement, which lacked specific details, follows intense criticism from Democrats over his role in appointing the Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe v. Wade, thereby shifting abortion decisions to individual states.
Trump has attempted to position himself as moderate on abortion issues, even claiming to be “very strong on women’s reproductive rights.” In an NBC interview conducted before Thursday’s rally, Trump expressed support for altering Florida’s six-week abortion ban, which restricts the procedure before many women are aware they are pregnant.
While Trump did not explicitly state how he will vote on the ballot measure this fall, he reiterated his previous criticism of the law, signed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis last year, calling it too restrictive. “I think the six weeks is too short. It needs to allow more time,” Trump stated. “I will be voting for a longer period than six weeks.”
Trump had previously criticized DeSantis’ decision to sign the bill as a “terrible mistake.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
