Desperate to counter Kamala Harris’ rising profile, Donald Trump and his campaign have flailed with a series of attacks aimed at undermining her position. Their strategy has been a scattershot approach, targeting Harris on various fronts—immigration, her record as a prosecutor, and labeling her as a “radical.” Yet, these efforts have failed to land effectively.
Trump’s recent 34-minute Q&A with the National Association of Black Journalists was marked by controversial and distracting remarks. He questioned Harris’ Black identity, proposed pardons for violent January 6 rioters, and dodged questions about whether his vice presidential pick, Senator JD Vance, would be prepared to assume the presidency. These comments not only overshadowed his attacks on Harris but also highlighted a lack of coherent strategy.
“They don’t have a narrative that they’re comfortable with about how to take down Harris,” said Chuck Coughlin, an Arizona-based political strategist. “He’s grasping around. I think he’s desperately grasping around with his instincts. I don’t think his team has any way to put their handle on this, and so he’s instinctually grasping around for what to say.”
In recent days, Trump’s campaign launched a multimillion-dollar TV ad blitz attacking Harris on her border policies and painting her as an out-of-touch liberal. One ad from a pro-Trump group depicted her as a “dangerous San Francisco liberal.” Despite this, Harris has been on the defensive, using her platform to counter these claims, including a strong rebuttal about her border record and a video emphasizing her commitment to border security.
However, Trump’s attempt to discredit Harris took a troubling turn when he questioned her racial identity during a panel appearance. Trump’s comments—implying Harris had switched her racial identity from Indian to Black—drew sharp criticism. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre condemned the remarks as “repulsive” and “insulting.”
Despite pushback, Trump has persisted with these racially charged attacks. At a rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, his campaign displayed a graphic mocking Harris and mispronounced her name in an apparent attempt to belittle her. On Thursday, Trump took this a step further by posting Harris’ birth certificate on Truth Social and sharing memes that misrepresent her policy positions.
While Trump’s base may cheer these attacks, they have not resonated with moderate Republicans or independent voters. The effectiveness of Trump’s strategy remains uncertain. His history of making incendiary remarks suggests a pattern of drawing attention to himself, even if it’s negative, especially when other controversies—like Vance’s controversial comments—begin to overshadow him.
Harris, whose background includes an Indian mother and Jamaican father, has condemned Trump’s attacks as beneath the dignity of American political discourse, asserting, “The American people deserve better.”
