CNN's Jake Tapper fact-checked Vice President Kamala Harris live. She claimed former President Trump said he would "do what he wants" regardless of women's opinions.
At a rally in Phoenix, Harris criticized Trump’s stance on abortion restrictions. "Now in America, one in three women lives in a state with a Trump abortion ban, many with no exceptions, even for rape and incest, which is immoral," she stated. She quoted Trump, saying, "Did everyone hear what he just said yesterday? That he will do what he wants, quote, and here‘s where I‘m going to quote ‘whether the women like it or not.’"
Harris emphasized the need for voting. "You got to listen to people when they tell you who you are. This is not the first time he has told us who he is," she said. She accused Trump of not believing women should have control over their bodies.
Trump’s comments referred to protecting women from criminals crossing the border under Harris' policies. "Kamala has imported criminal migrants from prisons and jails… including savage criminals who assault, rape, and murder our women and girls," he stated at a rally. Trump insisted, "I'm gonna do it whether the women like it or not. I'm gonna protect them."
After airing Harris’ remarks, Tapper corrected her, pointing out the missing context. "When Trump said he was going to do something for women, whether they like it or not, he was talking about protecting women," Tapper explained. He acknowledged the issue with Trump's language but clarified his intent.
Tapper’s panel reacted with amusement. He added, "He’s saying I‘m gonna protect them, whether that women want me to protect them." Democratic strategist Karen Finney noted, "Some would say that’s misogynistic—"
Tapper countered, "It‘s not as she presented it." Finney warned about the implications of misinterpretation. "We know who this guy is. This is not someone who respects women," she said.
Harris echoed her misinterpretation of Trump’s remarks in a post on X. "Donald Trump thinks he should get to make decisions about what you do with your body. Whether you like it or not," she wrote, sharing a clip of Trump’s speech.