WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans tried Sunday to distance themselves from Donald Trump’s latest insults against Democratic nominee Kamala Harris during an extended weekend rally in Wisconsin, in which he called her “mentally retarded.”
Trump escalated his personal attacks on the vice president during what was billed as a speech on immigration following Harris’ trip to the US-Mexico border.
“Joe Biden became mentally disabled,” Trump said. “Kamala was born that way. She was born that way. And when you think about it, only a mentally retarded person could have let this happen to our country. Everyone would know this.”
Trump has already falsely claimed that Harris has “gone black” and regularly insults her as “stupid,” “weak,” “dumb as a rock,” and “lazy.” With just over a month to go before the presidential election, his allies publicly and privately pushed him to talk about the economy, immigration and other issues instead.
“I just think it’s better to prosecute the case that her policies are destroying the country,” Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said on CNN’s “State of the Union” when asked about Trump’s comments. are crazy liberal.”
When asked if he approved of the comments, Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., sidestepped during an interview on ABC’s “This Week.”
“I think Kamala Harris is the wrong choice for America,” said Emmer, who is helping Trump’s running mate JD Vance prepare for Tuesday’s vice presidential debate. “I think Kamala Harris is actually as bad or worse as the administration we have witnessed over the last four years.”
When pressed, Emmer said, “I think we should stick to the issues. The problem is that Donald Trump once solved it. They destroyed it. He’s going to fix it again. Those are the problems.”
Harris, who would be the first woman, Black woman and person of South Asian descent to become president, has not commented on Trump’s recent attacks. When asked about other comments, she said it was the “same old show.” The same tired playbook we’ve heard for years, with no plan on how he would meet the needs of the American people.
Trump said last month that he was “entitled” to personal attacks against Harris.
“As for the personal attacks, I am very angry with her for what she has done to the country,” he told a news conference at the time. “I’m very angry with her because she would weaponize the justice system against me and other people, very angry with her. I think I’m entitled to personal attacks.
