Trump rejects demands to stop personal attacks on Harris
The former president further stated about Harris that he has "little respect for her intelligence" and that she would be a "terrible president." Haley had urged Trump on Tuesday to stop personal attacks on Harris and instead focus on substantive debates with the Democratic presidential candidate.
The election cannot be won by discussing Harris's "race" or calling her "dumb," Haley said on the right-wing Fox News channel. The former ambassador and ex-governor was referring to Trump's repeated denigration of his rival's intelligence and questioning of her African American identity. Harris is the daughter of a black Jamaican and her mother is from India.
Haley had lost to Trump in the Republican presidential primaries but now supports his candidacy. Trump, speaking at a press conference at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, said he values Haley's advice but must run the campaign "in my own way."
The former president also described his own campaign as "very quiet": "There's no shouting. (...) I'm a very quiet person, believe it or not."
However, the former president also said about Harris: "I'm very angry with her for what she's done to the country. I'm very angry with her for using the justice system against me and other people." Trump was referring to the ongoing legal proceedings against him, which he often describes as Democratic conspiracies.
The 78-year-old also said that he too is personally attacked by Harris, as she labels him and his vice-presidential candidate J.D. Vance as "weird." The term "weird" has been frequently used by Harris and other Democrats against Trump and Vance in recent weeks, but it is not as derogatory as Trump's repeated remarks about his rival's lack of intelligence.
Trump again referred to Harris as a "radical leftist" and accused her of having "a very strong communist inclination." He said the only thing Harris could offer is "terrible inflation, massive crime, and the death of the American dream."
This was Trump's second press conference since last week. The right-wing populist has been on the defensive since President Joe Biden announced on July 21, after weeks of debate over his mental fitness, that he would not run for reelection in November, and the Democratic Party quickly united behind Vice President Harris as the new candidate.
In several recent polls, Trump has been slightly overtaken by Harris. Nevertheless, he claimed at the press conference that he is leading in the polls.
Haley strongly urged Trump to halt his personal attacks on Harris, stating, "The election cannot be won by discussing Harris's 'race' or calling her 'dumb'." Despite this, Trump continued his criticism of Harris, exclaiming, "Stop it!" in response to her labeling him and his vice-presidential candidate as "weird."
