Former President Donald Trump mocked Vice President Kamala Harris‘s laugh during a rally in Asheville, North Carolina, a battleground state, Wednesday afternoon as GOP members continue to urge him to move away from juvenile attacks.
“What happened to her laugh? I haven’t heard that laugh in about a week,” Trump asked the crowd. “That’s why they keep her off the stage. That’s why she’s disappeared. That’s the laugh of a crazy person. They told her don’t laugh. Don’t laugh. Her laugh is career-threatening.”
Trump’s campaign billed the address as a major economic speech as Trump hopes to reset his campaign against Harris. But the former president spent considerable time slamming Harris and President Joe Biden’s tenure in office, as well as Harris’s running mate, Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN), whom Trump taunted for signing legislation allowing menstrual products in school bathrooms.
“He signed a bill. He wants tampons in boys’ bathrooms, I don’t think so,” Trump said, denouncing Walz.
The crowd loudly booed Walz in response.
“I mean, the clown that she picked as a vice president,” Trump added. “This guy’s a clown. He was so bad.”
Trump accused Harris of copying his endorsement of ending taxes on tips for servers and waitresses, as well as no taxes on Social Security. He also went on to claim Harris would be “fired” in November.
“On Election Day, we’re going to tell her that we’ve had enough that we can’t take it anymore. Kamala, you’re doing a horrible job,” said Trump. “You’re the worst vice president in history. You’re fired. Get out of here. Go. Get out of here.”
He repeatedly needled Harris over her refusal to participate in a substantial press interview since becoming the Democratic presidential nominee. At one point, Trump reprised the line that Harris was not intelligent enough to hold her own should a journalist question her policy proposals. The rally touched on key topics for Trump including curtailing the migrant crisis at the southern border. The former president promised “the largest deportation operation in American history” if he wins reelection.
The former president’s two previous attempts at resetting his campaign, the first of which was a press conference at his Mar-a-Largo resort and the second a live X interview with X owner Elon Musk, featured a rambling Trump who veered into multiple topics instead of honing in on direct blasts of Harris. Other attempts to brandish Harris as a diversity, equity, and inclusion candidate or question her biracial identity have led to some pushback from Republicans who want Trump to criticize Harris on policy.
Trump’s former primary rival, Nikki Haley, implored him “to make a serious shift, stop whining, and start defining Kamala Harris as the liberal she is” during an interview with Fox News this week. Other Republicans, such as House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, have also tried to get Trump to focus his attacks on policy matters.
Democrats are hoping to flip North Carolina this election cycle, but the state has not voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since former President Barack Obama in 2008. The economy remains the top concern for voters this election as families attempt to recover from COVID-19 and the subsequent spike in inflation.
Trump managed to get some attack lines against Harris about the economy and pledged to lower the nation’s energy bills if voters elect him for another term.
“I am announcing today that, under my leadership, the United States will commit to the ambitious goal of slashing energy and electricity prices by half — at least,” he said.
The former president claimed that a Harris presidency would bring destructive consequences, including a 1929-style depression and rising prices.
“If Harris gets in, energy prices will skyrocket far more than even in Europe. You know, Europe’s a basic disaster because they’ve tended to go a little bit woke,” said Trump.
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The campaign rally was held on the same day the Labor Department announced inflation reached its lowest level since March 2021, two months after Biden and Harris were sworn in.
Harris is scheduled to hold a campaign rally in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Friday focused on lowering costs for middle-class families, although how detailed she will get on policy is unclear.