Former President Donald Trump escalated his feud with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) on Monday, vehemently rejected the “weird” label that Walz used to describe him and his ally, Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio). Trump, who has been fixated on this unusual criticism, took the opportunity to disparage Walz as a “whack job” during a campaign event in Pennsylvania.
The heated response came after Walz, a Democratic vice presidential nominee, criticized Trump and Vance as “weird” in a recent viral cable news appearance. Trump, clearly agitated by the description, told a crowd at a factory in York, “This whack job. You know, he said we’re weird. That JD and I are weird. I think we’re extremely normal people. Like you.”
“He’s weird. Did you ever see him go on the stage and go like crazy? Between his movement and her laugh, there’s a lot of craziness. I’d say a step further than weird. Weird is a nice word by comparison,” he said.
The term “weird” has quickly become a central theme in the current political debate, with Democrats rallying around it as a way to undermine Trump’s image. The Democratic National Committee even projected “Weird as hell!” onto the side of the Trump Hotel in Chicago ahead of their convention, further fueling the controversy.
Trump’s preoccupation with the “weird” label has been palpable, overshadowing more traditional campaign issues like the economy and immigration. Despite calls from his allies to pivot towards policy-focused messaging, Trump remains fixated on personal attacks against Walz and Vice President Kamala Harris, signaling that his campaign strategy will continue to revolve around this bizarre and escalating battle.
Watch the clip below:
Trump calls Tim Walz a "whackjob" and responds to accusations that the Trump campaign is "weird":
"You know what he said? We're 'weird.' That JD and I are weird. I think we're extremely normal people. We're like you. He's weird."pic.twitter.com/xo7Ea4QNDK
— The American Conservative (@amconmag) August 19, 2024