“A Feeble Trump Holds a Press Conference to Lie and Yell”: Harris Campaign Slams Trump’s Self-Comparison to MLK and Boasts About Kim Jong Un
Credit: Associated Press
Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign took aim at former President Donald Trump following a press conference in which Trump compared himself to Martin Luther King Jr. and bragged about his popularity with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The Harris campaign didn’t hold back, criticizing Trump’s remarks and the noticeably smaller crowds at his recent rallies.
“A feeble Trump holds a press conference to lie and yell about his noticeably smaller rally crowd sizes,” the Harris campaign tweeted in response to Trump’s latest claims.
The video clip shared by Harris begins with a visibly frustrated Trump, 78, closing his eyes, shaking his head, and exclaiming, “Oh give me a break.” The footage then cuts to Trump discussing the large crowds that have been attending Harris’ rally tour, which she has been conducting alongside Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
Trump, clearly bothered by the comparisons, declared, “Listen, I had 107,000 people in New Jersey and you didn’t report it. What did she have yesterday, two thousand? If I ever had 2,000 people you’d say my campaign was finished.” However, the mayor of Wildwood, New Jersey, where Trump’s rally took place in May, estimated the crowd to be closer to 80,000—a significant difference from Trump’s inflated numbers.
Undeterred, Trump continued to rattle off more crowd figures that he claimed were ignored by the media. “I’m always saying, ‘Turn around the cameras,'” Trump said. “We have the enthusiasm. The Republican Party, and me as a candidate, has the enthusiasm.”
The press conference also featured Trump boasting about his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, a claim that has often been met with criticism given the authoritarian nature of Kim’s regime. Despite these bold statements, Trump’s focus on crowd sizes seemed to dominate the conversation, leading to questions about his priorities on the campaign trail.
Washington Post columnist Philip Bump commented on the exchange, noting that the reporter who questioned Trump about crowd sizes “[knew] exactly what she was doing,” implying that the question effectively highlighted Trump’s preoccupation with numbers rather than substantive issues.
The Harris campaign’s sharp response underscores the ongoing tensions between the two political figures as the 2024 election approaches, with both sides eager to frame the narrative in their favor. Trump’s comparison of himself to MLK and his focus on crowd sizes are likely to remain talking points as the campaign season heats up.
