Former President Donald Trump released an ad Monday slamming Vice President Kamala Harris as a “radical” who is trying to paper over a series of extreme liberal stances from years ago, such as getting rid of money-based bail and “starting from scratch” instead of retaining the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency that ejects illegal immigrants.
Mr. Trump posted the ad as part of a return Monday to X, the platform owned by Elon Musk.
Running just shy of two minutes, the ad is a montage of Harris interviews in which the vice president, who briefly ran for president in the 2020 Democratic primary, endorses health care for illegal immigrants and says unlawful migrants should not be treated as criminals.
Ms. Harris asks an interviewer how she is “defining defunding the police” instead of rejecting the idea outright, and says she is prepared to get rid of the filibuster to pass a Green New Deal — the shorthand for a bundle of aggressive climate-change initiatives proposed in Congress.
She also suggests it would make sense to ban plastic straws.
The Trump ad does not include any narration — only Ms. Harris’ words — and opens with “Meet San Francisco Radical Kamala Harris” and ends with “Reject San Francisco Radical Kamala Harris” across the screen.
The Washington Times reached out to the Harris campaign for comment.
The Trump campaign is betting the array of stances will alienate centrist voters who could decide the election, or make Ms. Harris seem like a flip-flopper when she espouses tougher positions on things like illegal immigration.
“Kamala Harris is strong, for years, on open border, no fracking, defund the police, and more,” Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social in all caps on Monday. “Let’s see her flip-flop on those ’little’ lifelong policies of hers!!! A completely fraudulent campaign!!!”
Mr. Trump is trying to blunt Ms. Harris’ momentum after taking over for President Biden as the leader of the Democratic ticket. She’s attracting large crowds in swing states and enjoying media attention from her selection of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate.
A weekend poll from The New York Times and Siena College showed Ms. Harris enjoying a four-point lead in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan. Of the voters surveyed in those states, 50% said they would back the vice president, while 46% said they would vote for Mr. Trump.
The Trump campaign says Ms. Harris is enjoying a short-lived honeymoon and will crash back to Earth as voters get a better understanding of her policies.
Recent media reports suggest Mr. Trump’s inner circle wants the ex-president to remain focused on policy issues instead of remarking on Ms. Harris’ racial identity or comparing crowd sizes.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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