Donald Trump unleashed a barrage of criticism and vitriol against Vice President Kamala Harris following her recent speech at the Democratic National Convention. The former president’s furious response was marked by a prolific use of his Truth Social platform, where he posted 48 times during Harris’s 37-minute address. Trump’s reaction underscores his ongoing struggle to maintain discipline on the campaign trail.
Harris’s speech, which was significantly shorter than Trump’s lengthy address at the Republican convention last month, drew immediate ire from the former president. As Harris paid tribute to her nominators and discussed her vision, Trump took to social media to voice his discontent. “Where’s Hunter,” Trump posted in all-capitals, referencing Hunter Biden, the president’s son, who has been a frequent target of Trump’s attacks despite Biden’s withdrawal from the race last month.
As Harris praised her supporters, Trump criticized her, saying, “Too many thank yous too rapidly said. What’s going on with her?” When Harris shifted her focus to criticizing Trump, he took to his usual tactic of self-referential posts, asking, “Is she talking about me?” in block capitals.
Throughout the evening, Trump’s posts were predominantly focused on Harris. He repeatedly labeled her a “Marxist” and questioned her ability to address issues she raised, writing, “Why doesn’t she do something about the things she complains about.” Trump also made dire predictions, claiming, “There will be no future under Comrade Kamala Harris, because she will take us into a Nuclear World War III. She will never be respected by the Tyrants of the World!”
The former president’s criticisms grew more intense when Harris accused him of attempting to block a bipartisan immigration bill. Trump responded with one of his longest posts of the night, decrying the bill as “one of the worst ever written” and a “political ploy” that would allow millions of people into the U.S. “It legalizes Illegal Immigration, and is a TOTAL DISASTER, WEAK AND INEFFECTIVE!” he wrote.
Trump’s critique also included seemingly minor grievances, such as targeting Tim Walz, the Democratic vice-presidential nominee. Trump dismissed Walz’s football coaching background, writing, “Walz was an assistant coach, not a coach.”
In a further display of frustration, Trump rebutted Harris’s connection to Project 2025, a far-right manifesto created by some of his former supporters. Harris had linked Trump to the document, but he denied any involvement, despite having given the keynote address at a conference for the group.
ADVERTISEMENT
Commentator Dan Balz of the Washington Post noted that Trump’s response to Harris’s speech revealed his discomfort with the vice president’s growing prominence. Harris’s speech, Balz argued, demonstrated her ability to match or even surpass Trump’s public appeal. “Harris has countered him, even bested him, at his own game,” Balz wrote. “Her crowds now match or exceed his. Her followers now are as enthusiastic as his … her convention’s ratings were better than his … He says he misses Biden, and it shows.”
Harris’s address received positive feedback, including from some conservative voices. Scott Jennings, a former White House aide to George W. Bush, remarked to CNN that Harris’s performance displayed presidential “plausibility.” He noted that Harris’s presence seemed fresh and coherent, positioning her as a contrast to President Biden.
However, Jennings also acknowledged potential Republican strategies against Harris. “The question we are going to be asking over the next couple of months is how far did she run away from Joe Biden to prevent the Republicans from portraying her as the incumbent?” he said. “People are so upset with Biden-Harris on the economy, [that] if the Republicans tie her to it, all of the other stuff falls away.”
Trump’s inability to focus on policy issues rather than personal attacks against Harris was highlighted by South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, who has advised Trump to concentrate on policy. During a call with Fox News, Trump became visibly irked when presenter Martha MacCallum suggested Harris was gaining traction in the polls, particularly among certain voter demographics.
“She’s not having success; I’m having success,” Trump insisted. “I’m doing great with the Hispanic voters, doing great with Black men, I’m doing great with women. It’s only in your eyes that they have that, Martha. We are doing very well.”
The heated exchange ended abruptly when Fox News host Bret Baier cut Trump off, saying, “We appreciate that live feedback.”
ADVERTISEMENT
