Trump campaign files FEC complaint over Labour staff campaigning for Harris

Former President Trump’s campaign team filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission on Monday, labeling the U.K. Labour Party’s efforts to support Vice President Harris as “election interference.” 

“In two weeks, Americans will once again reject the oppression of big government that we rejected in 1776. The flailing Harris-Walz campaign is seeking foreign influence to boost its radical message — because they know they can’t win the American people,” Susie Wiles, co-manager of the Trump-Vance campaign, said in a statement.

The group offered to send 100 current and former Labour Party staff to battleground states such as Pennsylvania and North Carolina to campaign for Harris, the complaint states.

It also cites a LinkedIn post from Sofia Patel, Labour’s head of operations, in which she said she would sort out the volunteers’ housing.

The Labour Party declined to comment, and it’s unclear whether it has been in touch with the Harris-Walz campaign about its plans.

Trump currently has a 0.2 percentage point lead in Pennsylvania and a 0.6 percentage point lead in North Carolina, according to the latest Decision Desk HQ/The Hill polling average. Both will be crucial to determining the November election. 

“President Trump will return strength to the White House and put America, and our people, first. The Harris campaign’s acceptance and use of this illegal foreign assistance is just another feeble attempt in a long line of anti-American election interference,” Wiles said.

The Hill reached out to the Harris campaign for comment.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told reporters travelling on a flight to the Commonwealth summit in Samoa that “As prime minister of the United Kingdom, I will work with whoever the American people return as their president in their elections, which are very close now.”

Starmer added that “The Labour party…. volunteers, have gone over pretty much every election. They’re doing it in their spare time, they’re doing it as volunteers, they’re staying, I think, with other volunteers over there,” according the U.K. media reports.

With 13 days until the general election, each candidate is looking to capitalize on undecided voters with media appearances and stops in swing states. 

First published Oct. 22 at 8 p.m. EDT