Former President Donald Trump made waves at his Minnesota rally on Saturday, July 27, as he launched a series of attacks on President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Despite Biden no longer being his direct opponent in the 2024 race, Trump’s remarks echoed his previous campaign rhetoric.
In front of a fervent crowd, Trump ridiculed Biden’s golf skills, cognitive abilities, and event performance, as covered by NBC News. He didn’t shy away from derisively mentioning Biden’s son, Hunter, and mocking the president’s manner of walking, attempting to portray him as unfit to lead.
Trump, a 2024 Republican presidential candidate, spoke at length about the recent assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania rally, describing how it has intensified his criticism of the Biden administration’s policies. “People say, ‘I think he’s changed since two weeks ago. Something affected him,’” Trump stated. “No, I haven’t changed. Maybe I’ve gotten worse, actually, because I get angry at the incompetence I see daily, like the millions of people pouring into our country.”
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Switching his focus to Vice President Harris, Trump maintained his usual themes, criticizing her handling of the U.S.-Mexico border and labeling her as a “radical left lunatic.” He also suggested that Biden stepping aside was a “coup of and by the Democrats.”
In a striking moment, Secret Service agents had to rush Trump off-stage after shots were fired at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on July 13. Despite this, Trump remains resolute, stating, “We have a new target now, Kamala. We have a brand new target.”
The Trump campaign conflated Biden’s and Harris’ efforts, arguing that “Biden’s record is Kamala’s record.” Campaign communications director Steven Cheung emphasized, “She owns and is complicit in every bad thing that has happened, from overseeing the border crisis to out-of-control inflation to global unrest.”
Before Trump’s speech, his running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, targeted Harris, calling her “whacky,” “out-of-touch,” and “a card-carrying member of the lunatic fringe.” In response, the Harris campaign labeled Trump as a “bitter, unhinged, 78-year-old convicted felon.” Harris campaign spokesperson Sarafina Chitika remarked, “Trump’s goals are clear: he wants to drag us backward, undermine our democracy, and implement his Project 2025 agenda to strip away our freedoms.”
A New York Times/Siena poll conducted after Biden exited the race revealed a tight contest between Trump and Harris, with 48% of likely voters favoring Trump and 47% supporting Harris, a result within the poll’s margin of error.
