Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton clashed on their opposing opinions on abortion rights during their final debate Wednesday after the Republican nominee said current law allows doctors to "rip the baby out of the womb."
Asked about their stance on abortion, Trump stressed that he is “pro-life” and would nominate like-minded justices for the Supreme Court to make sure the issue of abortion is decided at the state level.
"I am pro-life and I will be appointing pro-life justices," Trump said. "It would go back to the states."
He also criticized late-term abortions, saying they allow for procedures that “rip the baby out of the womb” up to a day before birth.
“You can take the baby and rip the baby out of the womb on the ninth month,” Trump said.
Only about 1.2% of the one million abortions performed each year in the US are so-called "late-term" performed after the 20th week of pregnancy. And most of those are done before the 24th week.
Clinton criticized Trump’s rhetoric and said she would do everything she could to protect Roe v. Wade and the abortion protections the Supreme Court decision affords women.
“That’s not what happens...this scare rhetoric is just unfortunate,” she said.
Clinton cited health concerns as to why some late abortions are carried out, and said the government "has no business in the decision that women make with their families in accordance with their faith.”