Trump's 'sickening' falsehood over killing of babies after birth attacked by Democrats

Donald Trump has falsely accused Virginia Governor Ralph Northam of supporting the killing of babies, a move labelled “dangerous and sickening” by Democrats.

It is the second time this year that Mr Trump has falsely claimed that Democrat Mr Northam backs mothers being given the choice to “execute” a baby. Abortion is one of the president’s key issues when it comes to his conservative base, with his administration pushing hard to enact legislation restricting abortion.

At a rally in Wisconsin, Mr Trump repeated the incendiary false claim that doctors and mothers were conferring on whether to keep babies alive after birth and then executing them.

“The baby is born, the mother meets with the doctor, they take care of the baby,” Mr Trump said. “They wrap the baby beautifully and then the doctor and the mother decide whether they will execute the baby”.

Referencing Mr Northam, Mr Trump continued: “It’s incredible, until this crazy man in Virginia said it, nobody thought of it – did anyone even think of that? You hear late term [abortion], but this is where the baby is born, it’s there.. it’s wrapped and that’s it.”

Mr Trump’s remarks relate to remarks by Mr Northam back in January over Virginia House of Representatives bill 2491, which would roll back a number of requirements over abortions including removing a 24-hour wait period. The furore started when the sponsor of the bill, Democrat Kathy Tran told a House committee that her bill “would allow” an abortion when a woman is showing signs of labour if a doctor deemed it medically necessary.

Ms Tran later said she “misspoke” in the hearing and that such a move would be illegal. “I should have said: ‘Clearly, no, because infanticide is not allowed in Virginia, and what would have happened in that moment would be a live birth.’”

Mr Northam then muddied the waters still further, giving an unclear answer when asked to explain s Tran’s bill.

“This is why decisions such as this should be made by providers, physicians, and the mothers and fathers that are involved,” Mr Northam told local radio station WTOP. “When we talk about third-trimester abortions,” he went on, “it’s done in cases where there may be severe deformities. There may be a foetus that’s nonviable.”

“If a mother is in labour, I can tell you exactly what would happen,” he added. “The infant would be delivered. The infant would be kept comfortable. The infant would be resuscitated if that’s what the mother and the family desired, and then a discussion would ensue between the physicians and the mother.”

Mr Northam’s remarks were taken as support for infanticide by a number of Virginia Republicans, forcing Mr Northam’s office into issuing a clarification that said the governor was “absolutely not” been referring to the killing of babies.

“The governor’s comments focused on the tragic and extremely rare case in which a woman with a nonviable pregnancy or severe foetal abnormalities went into labour,” a spokesperson said at the time.

Mr Trump first falsely accused Mr Northam at a rally in February, with his latest remarks coming days after a federal judge in Washington state granted a nationwide temporary injunction blocking the Trump administration's abortion clinic referral restrictions.

The revised regulations to the Title X family planning programme, which had been due to come into force on 3 May, would prohibit taxpayer-funded family planning clinics from talking about abortion with patients or referring patients to abortion providers. The programme serves four million people across the US.

Minnesota Democrat Congresswoman Ilhan Omar called Mr Trump’s remarks at the rally on Sunday “truly dangerous and sickening”.

“Is this deranged President suggesting parents and doctors are working together to commit infanticide?” Ms Ilhan tweeted.

We have seen religious fanatics bombing clinics and threatening women, this will fan the flame of violence… stop the misinformation,” she added