Former President Donald Trump participated in another town hall Wednesday where he took several shots at his opponent Vice President Kamala Harris’ record and continued to throw out falsehoods about her and his record in office in front of a friendly crowd in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Advisers point to events like this as how Trump is preparing for next week’s ABC News debate in Philadelphia against Vice President Kamala Harris.
The former president, who often downplays the need for formal debate preparations, did offer some insight into how he will approach sharing the debate stage with Harris, saying he would limit his outbursts during an audience Q&A portion of the event which will air later this week.
“When I had Biden, you and I had the same discussion. And I let him talk. I’m gonna let her talk,” Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity when asked how he will respond to Harris when she tries to get under his skin.
“There are those who say that Biden is smarter than she is. If that’s the case, we have a problem,” Trump said, attacking Harris’ intelligence earlier by claiming she has “no idea what the hell she’s doing.”
“You can go in with all the strategy you want but you have to sort of feel it out as the debate is taking place,” he said, going on to talk about his multiple debate appearances.
“Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face” Trump quipped, quoting former boxing champion Mike Tyson.
Trump zeroed in on what he characterized as Harris’ policy inconsistencies, something that advisers have encouraged him to focus on. He specifically highlighted her changed position on fracking in front of a crowd in one of the country’s top fossil fuel-producing states.
Former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump (R) takes part in a town hall moderated by Fox News broadcaster Sean Hannity at the New Holland Arena in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on September 4, 2024. (Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP) (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)
Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images
“She wants no fracking. In Pennsylvania, she wants no fracking. She said it 100 times, there will be no fracking. There will be no fracking. There will be no fracking. Then just recently, she said, ‘Yes, I could approve fracking.’” Trump continued, “Look, this is a woman who is dangerous. I don’t think it’s too smart, let’s see.”
“You can’t take the chance. You have no choice. You’ve got to vote for me, even if you don’t like me,” he said, arguing that Americans didn’t know enough about Harris.
Trump held a town hall in Wisconsin last week with former Democratic congresswoman and presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard. Gabbard was recently named to Trump’s presidential transition team and has been advising him during his debate preparations.
Wednesday’s town hall, which was taped in the afternoon before airing during Hannity’s regular 9 p.m. ET time slot, comes in lieu of a debate that Fox was attempting to hold tonight. While debate invitations were sent to both candidates, only Trump accepted as Harris campaign officials said future debates are contingent on Trump showing up to the ABC News debate next week.
“I think he’s a nice guy,” Trump said, pointing to Hannity. “But I would have preferred a debate.”
The former president and Hannity repeatedly criticized Harris’ lack of interviews as reasons to argue she’s unfit for office, pushing unfounded claims about her interview with CNN last week. However, while Trump sat down with Hannity for longer than Harris’ CNN interview, it was a friendly hour with the conservative TV host who rarely pushed back or pressed Trump on a number of topics.
Trump was asked to detail the differences between his previous presidential campaigns.
“It’s not that different. It’s still about the forgotten man and the forgotten woman. People are being treated horribly in this country.”
Trump continued to spread anti-immigrant rhetoric, accusing Venezuelans of “taking over the whole town” in Aurora, Colorado, as he again promised to oversee the largest mass deportation operation in U.S. history.
“Take a look at Aurora. In Colorado, where Venezuelans are taking over the whole town. They’re taking over buildings, the whole town…They’re knocking down doors and occupying apartments of people. The people are petrified. And it’s getting worse and worse,” Trump said, referring to a viral video that appeared to show an armed mob roaming around an apartment complex in Aurora.
However, the Aurora Police Department vehemently denied accusations that the apartment complex is being run by a Venezuelan gang.
“We’ve been talking to the residents here and learning from them to find out what exactly is going on, and there’s definitely a different picture,” Interim Police Chief Interim Heather Morris said in a Facebook video the department posted last week, while adding, “I’m not saying that there’s not gang members that don’t live in this community.”
The City of Aurora also provided clarity on the situation in a post on X, saying while there was a concern about a “small” presence of the Venezuelan gang members in Aurora, the city is taking the situation seriously. The city stressed that Aurora is a “safe community” and that reports of gang members are “isolated to a handful of problem properties alone.”
Trump criticized Harris’s rhetoric after Hannity played a 2016 clip of Harris from a speech at a Los Angeles mosque, in which she urged the public not to use terms such as “radical Islamic terrorism” and “illegal alien.”
“She wants to be politically correct, and we can’t be politically correct,” Trump responded.
“You need a president that’s not going to be taking you into war. We won’t have World War III when I’m elected, but with these clowns, you’re going to end up having world war – it’s going to be a war like no other.”
Hannity briefly mentioned at the top of his program the school shooting earlier in the day in Winder, Georgia, where two students and two teachers were killed and nine people were injured. Trump cited Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban to tout his record on crime and national security.
“Well, it’s a sick and angry world for a lot of reasons, and we’re going to make it better. We’re going to heal our world. We’re going to get rid of all these wars that are starting all over the place, and we’re going to make it better,” Trump said.
“You know, Victor Orban made a statement. They said, ‘Bring Trump back, and we won’t have any problems.’ He was very strong about that.”
Trump also took time to defend himself and his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, against Harris’ running mate Gov. Tim Walz’s argument that they’re “weird.” Trump fired back at that sentiment, poking fun at some of Walz’s quirks.
“Something’s weird with that guy. He’s a weird guy. JD is not weird. He’s a solid rock. I happen to be a very solid rock,” said Trump. “We’re not weird. We’re other things, perhaps, but we’re not weird. But he is a weird guy.”
During a recent town hall event in Pennsylvania, former President Donald Trump took aim at Vice President Kamala Harris, criticizing both her personality and policies. Trump, who has been a vocal critic of the Biden administration since leaving office, did not hold back in his remarks about Harris.
One of the main points of contention for Trump was Harris’ personality, with the former president describing her as “unlikable” and “unfit” for the role of vice president. Trump also accused Harris of being “phony” and lacking authenticity in her interactions with the American people.
In addition to criticizing Harris’ personality, Trump also took aim at her policies, particularly her handling of the border crisis. The former president accused Harris of failing to address the surge of migrants at the southern border and criticized her for not visiting the border sooner.
Trump also criticized Harris for her stance on issues such as gun control and healthcare, claiming that her policies would be detrimental to the American people. The former president urged voters to reject Harris and the Biden administration in the upcoming midterm elections, calling them out of touch with the needs of the American people.
While Trump’s criticisms of Harris may not come as a surprise to many, his harsh words serve as a reminder of the deep political divide in the country. As the Biden administration continues to face challenges on multiple fronts, it is clear that the opposition from figures like Trump will only intensify in the coming months.
