The passing of Amber Thurman, a 28-year-old mother, is directly tied to Georgia’s harsh abortion restrictions, imposed after Donald Trump proudly facilitated the end of Roe v. Wade during his presidency.

During a town hall hosted by Fox News, which focused on women’s issues and took place in Atlanta, the atmosphere turned grim as Trump, the host, and attendees treated Thurman’s death and her family’s grief with inappropriate humor.

While discussing the press call conducted by Thurman’s family ahead of the Fox News event, host Harrison Faulkner mockingly told Trump, “Amber Thurman’s family conducted a press call, doing a prebuttal to our town hall.”

Trump responded dismissively, saying, “Oh, that’s nice,” which prompted laughter from the crowd.

He then added, “We’ll get better ratings, I promise,” leading to more laughter from both Faulkner and attendees.

Trump’s campaign reveals a disturbing moment

Throughout various political campaigns, I’ve witnessed many shocking moments, but this goes far beyond the pale. Who chooses to compare the words of grieving families against the pursuit of higher ratings? Who finds humor in a family sharing their loss?

This incident reflects the troubling and unfeeling behavior Trump’s campaign has openly embraced in the closing weeks of this presidential election.

Amber Thurman’s preventable death

Thurman passed away in 2022, after being forced to travel to North Carolina for abortion services due to Georgia’s six-week ban. After receiving abortion pills, she developed a rare complication upon returning to Georgia.

According to a ProPublica investigation, Thurman arrived at Piedmont Henry Hospital needing a D&C procedure to clear her uterus. However, that summer, Georgia had made such procedures a felony, with few exceptions. The law placed doctors at risk of prosecution and potential prison sentences of up to a decade. Thurman endured extreme pain as she waited for medical aid as doctors observed her worsening condition; her infection spread, her blood pressure fell, and her organs began to fail. A delay of 20 hours for necessary surgery meant it was ultimately too late to save her.

ProPublica also highlighted that Georgia’s maternal mortality review committee classified Thurman’s death as “preventable,” emphasizing that the hospital’s slow response was heavily influenced by the state’s abortion regulations.

Trump’s inappropriate laughter amidst tragedy

There is nothing humorous about this situation. It is a profound tragedy. Yet, Trump, Faulkner, and many women in the audience found amusement in Trump’s dismissive comment and his “We’ll get better ratings” quip.

Voters should remain vigilant, paying attention to these clear displays of insensitivity from Trump and his supporters. Such behavior undermines our humanity.

This is the kind of behavior voters must decisively reject.