Kellyanne Conway, the former top political adviser to then-President Donald Trump, defended her onetime boss during a heated exchange with a Democratic strategist ahead of the ABC-hosted debate Tuesday evening against Vice President Kamala Harris.

Conway joined former GOP Rep. Trey Gowdy on his “Sunday Night In America” program on Fox News alongside former Democratic Party deputy press secretary Jose Aristimuño during a discussion about abortion and “viability.”

Gowdy brought up a Californian ballot initiative that uses the term “viability” and asked Conway what she thought Trump would say if questioned about it during the debate. Conway started by defending Trump against recent criticisms that he had changed his position on the issue. She noted that Trump had previously alienated social conservatives by arguing that Florida’s six-week abortion ban was too restrictive, only to reverse his stance later.

“I discussed this with him directly and I think he will say what he always said,” Conway began. “First, he broke no news, and I don’t know why everybody was clutching pearls and agitated on both sides – he has long said six weeks is too early in his view. And that anything after 20 weeks is too late. He signed, in October 2017, Trey, a presidential statement saying as much. And so, viability is past that – 24 weeks or so.”

She added: “But there is an escape clause in the Florida amendment, like there is in Michigan, that you can get a note from a medical professional to allow you to get abortion passed for viability.”

Pivoting to launch a broadside at Harris as being the “radical” on the issue, Conway said, “Look, here’s the point, the thing that President Trump said to Kamala Harris, you and your party are for up until the moment of birth including in California. It’s very liberal for this policy.”

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‘I Can’t Have You Lying’: Kellyanne Conway Calls Out Dem Who Claim Dems Aren’t For Abortion Throughout Pregnancy pic.twitter.com/TMAOwZCGbR

— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) September 9, 2024

Conway argued that in California, where Harris is from and served as senator, advances in medical technology have improved the age of “viability” and called for a “science conversation about viability.”

“So he can talk about that too, but she’s the radical on abortion — abortion anywhere in a time, no restrictions and no regulations, and that is not where most American women are,” Conway concluded.

Gowdy then brought in Aristimuño, who said: “Well, look, there is no question, and she’s talked about the whole issue with liberals in New York. I know Republicans want to remind people: ‘No, Democrats want to make sure that a woman can get an abortion until nine months.’ That is not true. It’s only the first trimester, and most Democrats and most Americans would agree maybe 8 or 12 weeks, if that.”

“It’s not true,” Conway interjected.

The Dem strategist replied: “It’s not — Kellyanne, you know that’s not true. There’s a few Democrats in New York — ”

A fired-up Conway shot back: “What’s the law? I’m sorry, I can’t have you lying when I’m sitting on the set. What is the law in California and New York? Do you know what the law is in California and New York, New Jersey, Illinois and Colorado? It is not 8 or 12 weeks, sir.”

That’s when Gowdy cut in: “If Fox gives me a two-hour show, we will keep going, but right now it’s just one hour. Thank you both for joining us on a Sunday night and I would love to have you both back.”

Trump suggested on Wednesday morning that he may not take part in a second debate against Harris.

During a phone interview on Fox & Friends, Trump blasted ABC News, accusing the first debate moderators, David Muir and Linsey Davis, of ganging up on him while giving Harris a pass all night on her arguments.

Host Steve Doocy asked Trump if he would accept Fox’s offer to host a second debate with Harris on Fox News in October.

“Here’s a story,” Trump began. “When two fighters fight and one loses, the first thing they do is ask for a debate or they ask for a fight. So in this case, a debate. So we had two people. They lost very badly.

“The first thing they did is ask for a debate, because that’s what when a fighter loses, he says, I want a rematch. I want a rematch. They always the losing person, the fighter, the debater, they always ask for a rematch,” he said, going on to note that he isn’t inclined at the moment to do another.