Politics is usually a loud, messy business. But inside a rustic venue called the Reid Barn in Cumming, Georgia, the vibe was different. Last October, Donald Trump sat down for a Fox News town hall with an audience made up entirely of women. No men in the crowd. Just 100 or so female voters, a moderator, and a former president trying to close a stubborn gender gap.
People are still talking about it.
Honestly, the event was a gamble. With the election looming at the time, Trump needed to win over suburban women who were—and are—pretty skeptical of his platform. Harris Faulkner, the anchor who steered the ship, made it clear from the jump: women are the largest voting bloc in the U.S. If you want the keys to the White House, you've got to speak their language.
The "Father of IVF" Moment and Why It Went Viral
One of the weirdest headlines to come out of that afternoon was Trump calling himself the "father of IVF."
Yeah, you read that right.
When a woman in the audience brought up the future of fertility treatments, Trump didn't just say he supported them. He leaned in and claimed ownership of the issue. "I'm the father of IVF," he told the crowd. It was classic Trump—hyperbolic, bold, and kinda confusing for anyone who knows that the first IVF baby was born in England back in 1978.
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But there’s a bit of context most people miss. He was talking about the panic in Alabama after a court ruling threatened to shut down clinics. He told a story about calling up Senator Katie Britt, basically saying, "We have to fix this immediately." He wanted the room to know that the Republican party isn't the "anti-family" party the Democrats paint them as. Whether the branding stuck or just felt "bizarre" (as Kamala Harris later called it) depends on who you ask.
Abortion: The Question That Took 50 Minutes to Surface
You’d think in a room full of women, abortion would be the first thing on the menu.
Nope.
It actually took nearly 50 minutes before a voter named Pamela asked why the government was involved in women’s basic rights. Trump’s answer was basically his standard "leave it to the states" line. He argued that after 52 years of the country being torn apart, the Supreme Court finally gave the power back to the people.
He did admit something interesting, though. He mentioned that some states, like Ohio, went "much more liberal" with their laws than he expected. He also suggested that some state laws are currently "too tough" and would eventually be "redone." He was trying to walk a very thin tightrope—keeping the pro-life base happy while not scaring off the moderates who think some bans have gone way too far.
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What Most People Get Wrong About the Audience
A lot of critics claimed the room was "packed with plants."
While it’s true the audience was overwhelmingly friendly—cheering and chanting "Trump, Trump" at various points—they weren't just there to clap. They asked about things that actually keep people up at night.
- The Price of Eggs: The first question was about the "affordability of gas and groceries."
- Safety: One woman brought up the tragic death of Laken Riley, the Georgia nursing student.
- Transgender Issues in Sports: Trump was asked how he’d handle biological males in women's athletics. His answer? "The president just bans it."
The economy was a massive theme. When Faulkner asked the crowd to raise their hands if they thought the current economy was good, not a single hand went up. Not one. That kind of visual is gold for a campaign, and it showed that for these women, the "kitchen table issues" were beating out the "culture war" stuff most of the time.
The "Enemy from Within" Rhetoric
It wasn't all talk about tax credits and IVF. Trump used the town hall to double down on some of his more controversial comments. He talked about "the enemy from within," specifically calling out certain Democratic politicians as "dangerous" and "sick."
Faulkner pushed him on this. She asked if he was threatening his political opponents. Trump flipped it, saying the Democrats were the ones "threatening democracy" through legal investigations against him. It was a tense moment in an otherwise cozy setting. It reminded everyone that even in a room full of supporters, the 2024 cycle was incredibly high-stakes and deeply personal for the candidates.
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What This Tells Us About the Future of Campaigning
If you're looking for the big takeaway, it's that the "all-women" format is becoming a go-to move for candidates who feel they're being "misunderstood" by half the population. Trump used the Georgia town hall to try and soften his image while sticking to his core "strongman" policies on the border and the economy.
Was it successful?
Polls later showed that while he didn't necessarily flip every suburban mom in Georgia, he did enough to keep the conversation on his terms. He showed up. He took the questions. And he gave his supporters the soundbites they wanted to hear.
Actionable Insights for Following Political Events
If you're trying to cut through the noise of these televised events, here’s how to do it:
- Look for the Unscripted Moments: The "father of IVF" comment wasn't in a teleprompter. Those off-the-cuff remarks usually reveal more about a candidate's strategy (and personality) than the prepared answers.
- Watch the Audience, Not Just the Stage: In the Trump town hall, the lack of raised hands regarding the economy was more telling than any statistic Trump cited.
- Check the "State of Play": Trump’s focus on Georgia wasn't random. It was a battleground. Whenever you see a "special" town hall, look at the map. The location usually tells you exactly who they are afraid of losing.
- Verify the Claims: Fact-checkers found nearly 20 false or misleading statements in that hour, ranging from energy production numbers to FEMA funding. Always cross-reference the "pittance" claims with actual legislative records.
The political landscape is always shifting, but the Trump town hall all women event remains a fascinating case study in how a candidate tries to pivot under pressure.