2024 Presidential Debate: Here’s Where Kamala Harris and Donald Trump Stand on Abortion

The presidential debate for the 2024 election finished Tuesday night, marking the first and possibly the only time that hopefuls Donald Trump and Kamala Harris face off before voters head to the polls in November.

Moderators at the debate introduced a range of issues, including abortion. Reproductive rights are one of the top issues among voters. At least 14% of 2,670 registered voters polled by the New York Times and Sienna College named abortion as an important issue in deciding their vote in November.

Here is where Trump and Harris stand on abortion.

Do They Support Abortion Policies?

Harris has made abortion rights one of the focal points of her 2024 campaign. In her keynote address at the Democratic National Convention, Harris pledged to sign legislation that would restore the federal right to abortion nationwide.

During the debate, Harris called the ban "insulting to the women of America" and highlighted the difficulties faced by women living in states where abortion has been banned.

On the other hand, Trump initially suggested he would vote in favor of a measure that would restore the federal rights to reproductive freedom nationwide. However, he later backtracked his statement.

In the debate, Trump clarified that he only supports abortion for mothers whose lives are threatened by pregnancy and women who fell victim to rape or incest. He also falsely claimed that Democrats support abortions after the child has been born.

READ ALSO: South Dakota Judge Upholds Abortion Ballot Question Despite Lawsuit 

Will They Limit Abortion Rights?

Harris opposed a bill that would limit abortion to only the first 20 weeks of pregnancy when she was still serving as a senator. It is unclear if her stance remains the same. Currently, abortion is available up until 22 weeks of pregnancy.

Trump previously suggested that Florida's policy, which limits abortion to six weeks, was too strict. He retracted his statement a day later and said state governments should decide abortion limits.

Will They Limit Access to Mifepristone?

The Biden-Harris administration prevented limiting access to mifepristone, an abortion medication.

"Our Administration will not waver in our dedication to preserving access to essential medication and defending the FDA's independent, evidence-based approval and regulation of safe and effective drugs," Harris said in a statement. 

Last month, Trump suggested that he would consider using federal regulatory power to limit access to abortion pills.

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