FACT CHECK: Did J.D. Vance Propose Mandatory Pregnancy Tests for Women Traveling Between States?
A post shared on X claims Republican Vice Presidential nominee J.D. Vance told The New York Times that the Republican Party plans to prevent women from traveling across state lines without first taking a pregnancy test.
J.D. Vance just told the NYT it’s the Republican party’s plan to prohibit women & girls from traveling across state lines w/o first taking a pregnancy test. J.D. Vance just told the NYT it’s the Republican party’s plan to prohibit women & girls from traveling across state lines w/o first taking a pregnancy test. pic.twitter.com/zduGzFhxqr
— Beep🇺🇸🇺🇦🥥🥥🥥‼️ (@fiercefreckled) October 13, 2024
Verdict: False
There is no evidence that J.D. Vance made this statement or that any such plan exists. The claim appears to be a distortion of political discussions about abortion-related travel restrictions.
Fact Check:
Vance appeared to suggest that he did not believe former President Donald Trump lost the 2020 election during an appearance in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, according to NPR. The comment comes after weeks of refusing to answer the question from several news outlets and Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz, the outlet reported.
The viral X claims Vance has sought to prohibit women seeking an abortion from crossing state lines unless they took a pregnancy test. “J.D. Vance just told the NYT it’s the Republican party’s plan to prohibit women & girls from traveling across state lines w/o first taking a pregnancy test,” the post’s caption reads in part.
However, no factual basis for this claim exists. Multiple fact-checkers, including PolitiFact and independent journalists, have reviewed public statements by Vance and found nothing to support the idea of mandatory pregnancy tests for interstate travel.
The origins of the tweet appear to mix concerns about recent legislative moves and broader abortion policies. Vance had previously supported an idea of a federal ban on abortion-related travel in 2022, according to CNN. In previous interviews, Vance has discussed his views on reproductive policies but has not advocated for measures like mandatory pregnancy testing for travel.
Additionally, searches through The New York Times archives have turned up no articles or interviews containing such a statement from Vance. (RELATED: JD Vance Claims Kamala Harris Plagiarized Sections Of Her Book)
Furthermore, legal experts have clarified that requiring pregnancy tests for travel would likely violate constitutional rights, making it highly unlikely that such a proposal could move forward legislatively.
Check Your Fact has reached out to the Trump campaign’s press office for clarification.
