Former US President Donald Trump has reportedly been in a “foul mood" over the past few weeks and has referred to Vice President Kamala Harris as a “b****" on multiple occasions in private, according to a report by The New York Times. The report is based on two sources who claim to have heard Trump make these remarks during different instances.
Trump’s campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung denied these allegations, asserting, “That is not language President Trump has used to describe Kamala, and it’s not how the campaign would characterise her." However, at a recent rally in Montana, Trump labeled Harris as “dumb," “incompetent," and “low IQ," questioning whether people even knew her last name.
“If you ask people, do you know what her last name is, nobody has any idea what it is. Harris. It’s like Harris," he had said. In addition to the recent comments, Trump has faced scrutiny for past remarks that grabbed headlines. In the infamous 2005 Access Hollywood tape, he made crude comments about women, including a statement about moving on a woman “like a bitch." He also expressed a desire for Condoleezza Rice to be “a bitch" in a 2006 interview, indicating a pattern of using such language.
Reports also indicate that during his presidency, Trump referred to then-German Chancellor Angela Merkel as “that bitch" during discussions about NATO. His use of derogatory terms extends beyond women; he has frequently called men he disagrees with “sons of bitches." The resurfacing of these remarks comes as Trump continues to criticise Harris, claiming she is “pathetic," while also asserting that she is not capable of handling a news conference. He has labeled her a “nasty person" in recent interviews, further intensifying the rhetoric as the 2024 presidential campaign heats up.
This controversy comes as Harris held a marginal one-percentage-point lead over Trump in a new Reuters/Ipsos poll, closing the gap that opened in the final weeks of President Joe Biden’s reelection bid. The three-day poll, completed on Sunday, showed Vice President Harris supported by 43% of registered voters, with former President Trump supported by 42%, within the poll’s 3.5 percentage point margin of error.
Last week’s poll showed Harris up 44%-42%. Harris consolidated her position as the Democratic candidate over the last 10 days, after Biden, 81, bowed to growing pressure within his party and dropped out of the race. Harris has since received a surge of donations and endorsements. Overall, voters have come to view Harris more favorably over the past month.
(With agency inputs)
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