High-profile supporters of Donald Trump have gone silent after previously mocking Kamala Harris for allegedly using a teleprompter during her Univision town hall. The silence comes after Trump himself used a teleprompter in a similar event held just a week later.
Both Harris and Trump participated in town halls aimed at undecided Latino voters, organized by Spanish-language network Univision. Harris’ event, held last week, drew criticism from several Trump supporters, including conservative commentator Charlie Kirk and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who claimed—without evidence—that Harris was relying on a teleprompter to answer questions.
Kirk took to X (formerly Twitter), accusing Harris of being “caught” using a teleprompter and alleging that Univision producers “panicked” and turned it off midway through her answers. Giuliani echoed these claims, stating that Harris was “reading word-for-word” from the teleprompter, while another Trump supporter, Juanita Broaddrick, went as far as to label Harris “the biggest fraud to ever run for office.”
More Read
However, the claims were quickly debunked by Univision’s town hall moderator, Enrique Acevedo, and Univision News President Daniel Coronell. Both confirmed that the teleprompter in question was for Acevedo’s Spanish-language introduction and was later switched to a timer, not a script for Harris. Newsweek also reviewed footage that supports their statements, showing Harris addressing audience members directly throughout the event.
Despite the lack of evidence supporting these teleprompter accusations, the posts by Kirk, Giuliani, and Broaddrick remain online without retraction. However, they have made no comment about Trump’s own use of a teleprompter at his Univision town hall in Doral, Florida, on October 16, 2024.
During Trump’s event, similar teleprompter setups were used, with Trump also addressing the audience from a similar angle to Harris. The lack of criticism from MAGA supporters on this matter did not go unnoticed. The pro-Harris group “Republicans Against Trump” pointed out the hypocrisy in a tongue-in-cheek response to the initial claims. Additionally, Sam Stein from The Bulwark commented on X, noting that both Trump and Harris had the same teleprompter setup, which wasn’t used for either candidate to read responses.
This discrepancy has led many to call out Trump supporters for their double standards. TikTok influencer Harry Sisson criticized the MAGA supporters who spread misinformation about Harris, calling them “complete hypocrites.”
The incident highlights the continued narrative around teleprompter use in politics, with Trump himself having often boasted about not needing one. However, in recent months, Trump has complained about teleprompter malfunctions during his rallies.
As of now, none of the prominent Trump supporters who criticized Harris have acknowledged the identical use of a teleprompter at Trump’s town hall, fueling further debate about political double standards.
