FACT FOCUS: A look at false claims and misinformation by Trump and Harris before their first debate

Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris will meet face-to-face for the first time in a highly-anticipated debate Tuesday night. The two presidential candidates describe the state of the country in starkly different terms. Trump often paints a dark picture centered around issues such as immigration and high inflation, while Harris focuses on optimism for the future, promising that “we’re not going back.”

The first debate of the 2024 election in June — at which President Joe Biden’s disastrous performance ultimately forced him from the race — featured multiple false and misleading claims from both candidates and it’s likely that Tuesday’s match-up will include much of the same.

Here’s a look at some of the false and misleading statements made by Trump and Harris during recent appearances.

Abortion remains a top issue

The unprecedented Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade more than two years ago has made abortion a key issue in the 2024 election. As a result of the ruling, abortion is now banned at all stages of pregnancy, with limited exceptions, in 14 Republican-controlled states. It’s barred after about the first six weeks, which is before many know they are pregnant, in three other states.

Trump often tries to portray Democrats as radical on abortion. He has falsely claimed on multiple occasions, including the debate in June, that some states allow women to get an abortion after their baby is born. This is in not true. Infanticide is criminalized in every state, and no state has passed a law that allows killing a baby after birth.

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