Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz ripped into Sen. JD Vance and former president Donald Trump at a LGBTQ+ advocacy group Saturday, speaking about the importance of fertility treatment access without acknowledging Trump’s recent pledge to make IVF treatments free.
Walz, who has long been vocal about fertility treatments he and his wife underwent in conceiving their two children, spoke at the Human Rights Campaign’s annual national dinner in Washington about the challenges of IVF access.
He made a snide crack at Vance, the GOP vice presidential nominee, while ignoring Trump’s call to have the government help pay for IVF treatments.
“It’s stressful,” Walz told the crowd, while talking about the trials he and his family went through conceiving.
“It’s hard. I sure the hell don’t need JD Vance giving me advice on it. It’s not helpful. It’s not helpful.”
Vance was met with renewed scrutiny early September after reports circulated that he endorsed a Heritage Foundation report that proposed sweeping restrictions to abortions and fertility treatments.
He’s also come under fire for his “childless cat ladies” comments, which fired off a media frenzy and a flurry of memes.
Access to IVF has been in the news since February when the conservative Alabama Supreme Court issued a ruling that would have basically ended access to IVF treatment.
Since then, Republicans have been distancing themselves from the decision while Democrats have been using the issue to attack GOP rivals.
Last month Trump pledged to expand access to in-vitro fertilization treatment through a combination of both insurance mandates and government funding, even though some conservative supporters oppose the move.
“Under the Trump administration, your government will pay for — or your insurance company will be mandated to pay for — all costs associated with IVF treatment,” Trump said at a Michigan rally.
Meanwhile, Walz at the HRC dinner also spoke about LGBTQ rights and the importance of letting people choose who they want to spend their lives with.
“My marriage to my wife Gwen is the most important thing in my life. I love her deeply. Why would I stop anybody else from marrying the person they love?” he said. “That makes no sense.”
He added “it’s a fact of life some people are gay. But you know what’s not a fact of life? That our children need to be shot dead in schools,” Walz said.
Walz is viewed as an LGBTQ ally, with Minnesota enacting laws protecting access to gender-affirming health care and abortion, as well as banning conversion therapy.
