Vice President Kamala Harris gave an unexpected address from her residence Wednesday to respond to former White House chief of staff John Kelly’s claims about how Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump would govern if reelected.
The New York Times and The Atlantic both published stories Tuesday detailing interviews with Kelly, who claimed that the former president said Hitler “did some good things,” wanted generals like the Nazi dictator had and would rule like a fascist. The Trump campaign denied the content of both stories.
Spokesperson Steven Chueng said the comments were “debunked stories,” adding that the former chief of staff “beclowned” himself. Harris waded into the dispute Wednesday, saying that Kelly’s statements made it clear the former president was “unhinged and unstable.”
“All of this is further evidence for the American people of who Donald Trump really is,” Harris said. “This is a window into who Donald Trump really is, from the people who know him best. From the people who worked with him side by side, in the Oval Office and in the Situation Room.
“It is clear from John Kelly’s words that Donald Trump is someone who, I quote, ‘certainly falls into the general definition of fascist.’ Who vowed to be a dictator on day one and vowed to use the military as his personal militia to carry out his personal and political vendettas,” she continued. (RELATED: CNN Guest Calls Out Selectively Edited Clip Of Trump Straight To Hosts Faces)
The Atlantic’s story containing Kelly’s comments also alleged that the former president disparaged a deceased veteran and her family. In addition to the Trump campaign, former officials, the deceased veteran’s family and their lawyer have all gone on the record to deny the story. (RELATED: The Atlantic’s October Surprise On Trump Implodes After Denials Galore From Everyone Involved)
“After having dealt with hundreds of reporters in my legal career, this is unfortunately the first time I have to go on record and call out Jeffrey Goldberg@the Atlantic: not only did he misrepresent our conversation but he outright LIED in HIS sensational story,” the family’s lawyer, Natalie Khawam, tweeted.
After having dealt with hundreds of reporters in my legal career, this is unfortunately the first time I have to go on record and call out Jeffrey Goldberg@the Atlantic: not only did he misrepresent our conversation but he outright LIED in HIS sensational story.
More… https://t.co/uJtfsNTo37— Attorney Natalie Khawam (@WhistleblowerLF) October 22, 2024
Vice President Harris is a fraud. I was in the White House at a senior level much longer than General Kelly. He is complicit in this fraud and has lied to the American people. His lies, as well as John Bolton’s, are a disservice to Nation at this critical time. So are the VP’s. https://t.co/2b77pMsVVl
— Keith Kellogg (@generalkellogg) October 23, 2024
Jeffrey Goldberg, the Editor-In-Chief of the Atlantic who wrote the Tuesday article, similarly published a story in September 2020 claiming that Trump canceled a 2018 visit to a French cemetery where American troops were buried and had called them “suckers” and “losers.” The credibility of the story, which is based on anonymous sources, has also come under fire. Former national security adviser John Bolton has denied Trump ever said the words, instead stating Trump didn’t make the trip for weather and security reasons.
Harris’ schedule was adjusted just an hour before her unexpected press conference to include that she would be giving remarks at her residence. The vice president spoke for just about three minutes and did not take any questions. Similar to Harris’ message Wednesday, Biden’s campaign message circled around calling Trump a threat to democracy. Before the president dropped out of the presidential race, senior Democrats alongside some of Biden’s aides were doubting the slogan, Axios reported.
Less than two weeks until the election, the vice president is trailing Trump in all seven top battleground states, according to the RealClear Polling averages.
“Donald Trump is increasingly unhinged and unstable, and in a second term, people like John Kelly would not be there to be the guard rails against his propensities and his actions,” Harris said.
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