Former President Trump suggested Tuesday that any Black or Hispanic voters who do not support him should have their head examined, echoing a similar comment he has made about Jewish voters.
“Any African American or Hispanic — and you know how well I’m doing there — that votes for Kamala, you gotta have your head examined. Because they are really screwing you. They are really screwing you,” Trump said during a rally in Atlanta.
During his rally, Trump railed against Vice President Harris, arguing she was to blame for rising costs and for the influx of migrants across the southern border in recent years.
His comments directed at Black and Hispanic voters come as polling has shown him making inroads with both groups in what is shaping up to be a tightly contested election.
A New York Times/Siena College poll published Saturday found 78 percent of Black voters said they would back Harris in the election, compared to 15 percent who said they would support Trump.
That 63-percentage point gap in support would mark a decrease from 2020, when President Biden won 90 percent of Black voters compared to 9 percent who voted for Trump.
A Times/Siena College poll of Hispanic voters published the same day found 56 percent said they would vote for Harris, while 37 percent said they would vote for Trump.
Exit polls in 2020 showed President Biden won 65 percent of Latino voters, compared to 32 percent who voted for Trump.
In a statement responding to Trump’s remarks, the Harris campaign said the vice president was working to earn every vote and that Trump “should do the same if he has the stamina to keep up.”
“If Donald Trump thinks insulting Black and Latino voters is the key to earning their respect and their votes, it’s him who should have his head examined – and he should man up and release his medical records so that voters can understand what exactly is going on with comments like this,” campaign spokesperson Sarafina Chitika said.
Harris has sought to consolidate support among Black voters in particular this week, unveiling an economic plan aimed specifically at boosting Black men and joining Charlamagne tha God for a radio interview.
Trump has in the past said any Jewish voters who support Democratic candidates should “have their head examined,” and he has suggested Jewish voters will be partly to blame if he loses in November.
Updated Oct. 16 at 9:29 a.m. EDT.