Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, criticized the Democratic presidential and vice-presidential candidates, stating that they could turn the U.S. into a communist country.
In a Fox News interview aired on the morning of August 7, Trump reacted to Vice President Kamala Harris’s selection of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate, stating, “There’s never been a ticket like this. This is a ticket that would want this country to go communist immediately, if not sooner.”
Trump added, “Nobody knew how radical left she was, but he’s a smarter version of her, if you want to know the truth,” suggesting that “He is probably as radical, if not more, than Bernie Sanders (Senator, Vermont, Independent).”
He found it “shocking” that Harris chose the very progressive Walz as her running mate, saying, “Could not be more thrilled.”
His earlier post on the social media platform Truth Social, where he simply wrote “THANK YOU!” without any context right after Walz’s vice-presidential nomination announcement, suggests he believes Walz’s selection will benefit his campaign strategy.
Vivek Ramaswamy, a strong supporter of Trump who dropped out of the Republican primary, commented in a CNN interview that Walz’s nomination would be a gift from the Democratic party. He added that the reality is Walz’s progressive policies will cause the Democrats to lose many moderate voters.
Trump also criticized Walz, stating he is focused on transgender issues. This remark is interpreted as referring to Walz’s signing of a bill protecting access to medical support for individuals whose biological sex conflicts with their perceived gender identity.
Trump suggested that Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro might have been a stronger choice for the Democratic vice-presidential slot. He implied that Harris’s campaign avoided selecting Shapiro, who is Jewish, out of concern that it might provoke backlash from pro-Palestinian Democratic supporters. According to Trump, the decision was influenced by a fear of offending certain groups rather than focusing on Shapiro’s strengths as a candidate.
In a speech in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Senator and the GOP vice-presidential candidate JD Vance claimed that Harris listened to the Hamas faction of the Democratic Party when choosing Walz over Shapiro. Vance also criticized Walz as one of the most extreme left-wing radicals in the entire U.S. government.
Regarding a potential TV debate with Harris, Trump said he doesn’t know how she debates, adding that he has heard she is “sort of a nasty person.” However, he mentioned that the debate date would be announced fairly soon, and they would debate her.
Furthermore, Trump mentioned that during the protests in Minnesota following the death of George Floyd in 2020, Walz called him for help because he was scared of the protesters outside his home.
In response, Walz’s spokesperson, Claire Lancaster, refuted this, stating that the call was not about the protests but about personal protective equipment (PPE) and testing capacity for COVID-19, according to The New York Times.
Most Commented