Hello everyone, get ready because former President Donald Trump is once again stepping into the spotlight, and he’s not holding back. On Thursday, Trump will be taking questions from reporters at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, marking the second week in a row that he’s grabbing headlines with a news conference.
So, why is Trump doing this now? Well, it’s partially to counter the growing momentum of Vice President Kamala Harris as she heads into next week’s Democratic National Convention.
Harris has been on a roll since replacing Joe Biden at the top of the Democratic ticket for 2024. But Trump’s not just letting her have the stage—he’s also using this opportunity to highlight Harris’ noticeable absence from the media since she became the Democratic nominee.
Trump’s campaign has been quick to point out that Harris has avoided holding a major interview or news conference since Biden stepped down. As Trump’s spokesman, Steven Cheung, emphasized, “It has been 24 days and Kamala Harris continues to duck and hide from the media.”
During his previous news conference at Mar-a-Lago, Trump didn’t shy away from taking shots at Harris, questioning her ability to handle unscripted interviews. His running mate, Senator JD Vance of Ohio, has also chimed in, criticizing Harris for not engaging with the media and accusing her of running from the American people.
The Harris campaign, on the other hand, insists that she will be doing interviews and press conferences soon. Her communications director, Michael Tyler, promised that the campaign will fully engage with voters, including through rallies, interviews, and all the digital tools at their disposal.
Trump, however, isn’t just focusing on Harris’ media absence. He’s also been hitting her hard on key issues like border security, crime, and inflation. But some of Trump’s allies are advising him to dial back the personal attacks and focus more on Harris’ policies. Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, for instance, urged Trump to stop questioning Harris’ intelligence and instead make the case against her stance on important issues.
Even Nikki Haley, who ran against Trump in the Republican primaries earlier this year, offered some advice. She emphasized that the campaign should steer away from talking about crowd sizes or Harris’ racial identity and focus on policy instead. Haley argued that the American people are smart and should be treated as such.
Despite this advice, Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, defended Trump’s off-the-cuff style, saying that people appreciate Trump’s unfiltered approach. However, Vance also noted that the campaign is primarily focused on policy, which he believes will continue to drive their message forward.
