When former President Trump talks about abortion on the campaign trail, he will say that some states allow the killing of newborn babies.
"In six states, you're allowed to kill the baby after the baby is born," Trump said during an Aug. 29 rally in Potterville, Mich. "And you know, one of those states is Minnesota. That's no longer abortion, that's called execution, right?"
When asked for evidence to support that claim, the Trump campaign responded by pointing to a five-year-old interview with a former Virginia governor, who is also a pediatric neurologist, that is seen defending third-trimester abortions. But he said those only happen when doctors think a pregnancy is in a grave medical crisis.
At the Michigan rally, Trump mentioned Minnesota by name as an example of a state that allows executing a baby.
His campaign did not respond to a request to explain his singling out of Minnesota.
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Last year, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, also Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate, approved a bill that removed a requirement for medical personnel to "preserve the life and health" of an infant born alive. The state law now says they must take "all reasonable measures … to care for the infant who is born alive."
Opponents of abortion rights said this change meant babies could be denied life-saving care and allowed to die.
But Minnesota OB-GYN Dr. Siri Fiebiger, who supports abortion rights, says the law makes sure doctors aren't forced to prolong the suffering of an infant unable to live on its own.
"These are very considered conversations and decisions in a hospital context," Fiebiger said. "These are sick moms and sick babies."
These are the facts: Executing a newborn in Minnesota or any other state is illegal.
And federal law also gives legal rights to babies "born alive at any stage of development."
Trump's claim that some states allow executing babies is totally false.
Medical ethics, state and federal laws all prohibit actively ending the life of a baby born alive.
