Two CNN anchors expressed shock after former President Donald Trump reshared a vulgar post on his social media platform that insinuated Vice President Kamala Harris used sexual favors to advance her career.
On Wednesday morning, Trump shared a screenshot from another user on Truth Social, originally posted on X, featuring an image of Harris and Hillary Clinton alongside the text: “Funny how b—jobs impacted both their careers differently…” During the CNN broadcast, anchor Anderson Cooper sought fellow anchor Abby Phillip’s thoughts on the incident, to which she responded, “There’s no explaining it.”
Cooper and Phillip voiced their disbelief that Trump would engage in what Cooper described as attacks that “sexually demean one of the most accomplished women in political life.” The image and message shared by Trump were met with strong criticism, particularly from those who viewed it as a deliberate attempt to undermine Harris’s achievements.
Phillip highlighted a recurring pattern in Trump’s behavior, stating it’s “extremely clear” that when it comes to women who challenge him, “Trump doesn’t believe that they would ever be qualified.” She noted that Trump had called his opponent “dumb” multiple times just this week, underscoring his tendency to focus on personal, rather than substantive, attacks.
“He could be attacking her on a whole host of substantive things,” Phillip observed. “But the thing he attacks her on is something that is very clearly false because of the fact that she — of all that she’s accomplished, her education et cetera — this is who Trump is. It’s also exactly the thing that disturbs moderate independent voters the most about him.”
The CNN anchors also discussed the broader implications of Trump’s behavior, with Phillip suggesting that the focus on Joe Biden’s fitness for office during the 2020 campaign may now be turning onto Trump himself.
“Every day that he presents himself as somebody who is divorced from reality, someone who cannot handle himself in a presidential way is a problem for him,” Phillip remarked, implying that Trump’s continued inflammatory rhetoric could alienate crucial voter demographics.
The incident adds to the ongoing scrutiny of Trump’s approach to political discourse, particularly regarding his treatment of female opponents. As the 2024 election draws closer, such controversies could play a significant role in shaping public perception of the former president.