U.S. President Joe Biden pledged to restore the national right to abortion if re-elected, facing off against his Republican opponent Donald Trump in the first of two televised debates ahead of the presidential elections scheduled for next November.

Biden said: "If I am elected, I will restore the case of Roe v. Wade," referring to a historic case in the U.S. Supreme Court from 1973 that prevented the imposition of a ban on a woman's right to have an abortion.

In June 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Since then, U.S. states have been able to make independent decisions regarding abortion regulations.

Biden emphasized the necessity of having abortions in certain cases. He added: "There are many young women who are raped by their relatives, by their husbands, and by their brothers and sisters."

It is unclear whether Biden will secure enough majority in Congress to fulfill his promise if re-elected.

In remarks before Biden, Trump claimed that there was a tremendous public desire to allow states to make individual decisions regarding abortion rights.