Vice President Harris is zeroing in on former President Trump’s history of racially charged comments in an effort to warn Black voters away from casting their ballots for him in November.
In an interview with “Roland Martin Unfiltered” on Monday, Harris said Trump is “dangerous” for Black America.
“Look at it in the context of how he actually thinks and talks about Black folks in America. … He is not looking out for folks when he was a landlord and would not rent to Black families: sued for it,” Harris said. “When he took out a full-page ad in the New York Times against those five teenagers, Black and Latino, who were innocent, saying they should be executed, the Central Park Five.”
She went on to speak of Trump’s “birtherism” conspiracy about former President Obama, as well as the recent comments around Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio.
“This man is dangerous,” Harris said.
The vice president also highlighted the conservative Project 2025, which calls for disbanding the Department of Education and Head Start programs, among other things.
“Who do you think that’s going to affect?” Harris said.
In a statement to The Hill, Trump’s campaign dismissed Harris’s warning to Black Americans.
“Kamala Harris has consistently shown she’s out of touch with the real needs of Black Americans,” said Janiyah Thomas, Black Media Director for Team Trump. “Kamala Harris’ failed policies have caused inflation to outpace wage growth. President Trump delivered real results with a booming economy and will deliver economic prosperity once again. Harris’s record is clear: hollow promises and constant inaction.”
Race has become a prominent discussion in this year’s presidential election. While Harris’s nomination is historic, racist comments focused on her identity have been widespread.
Trump has questioned Harris’s racial identity, while others have said she would be a “DEI hire,” referring to diversity, equity and inclusion.
Both candidates have tried to win over Black voters, the support of whom Democrats rely on and Trump is aiming to gain.
Black men, in particular, have become a main focus for both campaigns in recent weeks.
Democrats have been losing support among Black men since Obama’s 2008 election. Trump has been hoping to capitalize on the disillusionment, and recent polls show some Black men appear to be trending toward his camp.
Still, Harris maintains a strong upper hand among Black voters.
A recent poll from The New York Times and Siena College found that almost 80 percent of likely Black voters would vote for Harris if the presidential election were held today.
— Updated at 4:17 p.m.