United States: Vice President Kamala Harris has criticised Donald Trump, calling him “increasingly unhinged and unstable.” Speaking outside the vice-presidential residence in Washington, DC, Harris referenced recent comments by John Kelly, Trump’s former White House Chief of Staff, who described Trump as someone who “certainly falls into the general definition of fascists” and has reportedly spoken approvingly of Adolf Hitler.
Harris escalated her rhetoric, accusing Trump of seeking “unchecked power.” When pressed during a Town Hall if she believed Trump was a fascist, she answered directly that, “Yes, I do.” Trump’s campaign immediately hit back, with spokesperson Steven Cheung accusing Harris of peddling lies and claiming her campaign was “in shambles.”
As the 2024 presidential race enters its final weeks, Harris’s decision to sharpen her attacks counters with the more optimistic tone she adopted earlier in her campaign. Her pivot arrives as she seeks to win over independent voters and moderate Republicans, with polls showing a tight race in key battleground states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Arizona.
Political strategist Matt Bennett of the centrist Democratic group Third Way explained that Harris’s current approach is about ensuring that as many voters as possible are aware of Kelly’s warnings. He emphasized that Harris is aiming to appeal to disillusioned Republicans and undecided voters who are hesitant about another Trump presidency.
Trump, meanwhile, has kept up his attacks, describing Harris as “lazy” and “stupid,” a familiar refrain from the former president as he continues to energise his base. With both candidates trading sharper barbs, the final stretch of the campaign promises to be a bitter dispute over the future of the nation.
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