Trump early morning tweets claim Biden supports ‘(very) LATE TERM ABORTION’

Democrats’ official abortion policy is murky on the hot-button topic, giving Republicans an opening to attack

Donald Trump rose early on his first morning back at the White House after being hospitalised to treat his coronavirus infection, contending Joe Biden wants to execute unborn children.

The president flew back to the executive mansion on Monday evening and quickly ascended the Truman Balcony, out of breath, and removed his mask. The apparent show of defiance was followed by a video during which he again downplayed the very virus coursing through his system, and which had driven down his blood oxygen levels to points his doctors admitted they decided to administer supplemental oxygen.

In what appeared a play at suburban women voters who supported him in 2016 but broke for Democratic congressional candidates two years later, the president launched a broadside on the former VP over abortion policy.

“Biden and Democrats just clarified the fact that they are fully in favor of (very) LATE TERM ABORTION, right up until the time of birth, and beyond - which would be execution. Biden even endorsed the Governor of Virginia, who stated this clearly for all to hear,” Mr Trump wrote before adding: “GET OUT & VOTE!!!”

The president responded to a comment Mr Biden made during a town hall with voters that aired on Monday night on NBC. The former VP declared if Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett is seated and helps conservatives overturn the landmark abortion case Roe v. Wade, he will try to make it “the law of the land.”

Mr Trump pounced the next morning, as he and other top Republicans have tried making abortion a major campaign issue. They are banking that Republican-leaning women in suburbs could be swayed back to their column.

“Wow. Joe Biden just took a more Liberal position on Roe v. Wade than Elizabeth Warren at her highest,” he tweeted. “He also wants to PACK our great United States Supreme Court. This is what the Dems will do. Remember as they try changing positions before elections end. GET OUT AND VOTE!”

The president appeared to be trying again to link Mr Biden to Virginia’s Democratic governor, Ralph Northam, who pushed legislation in the commonwealth’s legislature that would allow third-trimester abortions if a mother’s physical or mental safety was deemed at risk.

"[Third trimester abortions are] done in cases where there may be severe deformities. There may be a foetus that's nonviable. So in this particular example, if a mother is in labour, I can tell you exactly what would happen," Mr Northam said then during an interview with WTOP radio. "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.”

Republicans pounced, alleging that Virginia Democrats and any member of the party who endorsed them supported the “execution” of unborn babies.

The national Democratic party’s official language on abortion is murky, and does not cover late-term procedures.

Meantime, Mr Trump’s allegation about Mr Biden seeking to expand the high court by adding liberal justices should his party take control of the Senate and he defeat Mr Trump is misleading at best.

The Democratic nominee has declined to comment on what’s known as “court-packing” even though influential members of his party like Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have said “all options” would be on the table under possible full Democratic control of Congress and the White House next January.