This was unexpected.
In a recent interview on Fox News’s “Life, Liberty and Levin,” former President Donald Trump sharply criticized Vice President Kamala Harris, calling her “vicious” and condemning her treatment of former Vice President Mike Pence during their 2020 debate. Trump described Harris’s approach to Pence as “horrible,” reflecting on a viral moment when she told Pence, “Mr. Vice President, I’m speaking,” in a manner he deemed disrespectful.
Trump’s comments underscore the fraught relationship between him and Pence, which became particularly strained towards the end of their term in office. The discord reached a peak in early 2021 when Pence resisted Trump’s pressure to overturn the 2020 election results. This tension was starkly illustrated by the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, when rioters chanted “hang Mike Pence” due to his refusal to contest the election outcome.
Although Trump later claimed he wasn’t concerned about Pence’s safety, asserting that Pence was “well-protected,” a New York Times report in 2022 alleged that Trump made an approving comment regarding the violent threats against Pence. Trump’s spokesperson, however, dismissed this as part of a broader “Democrat spear campaign.”
Adding to the criticism, Trump also reproached Harris for her behavior during the 2018 Supreme Court confirmation hearings of Brett Kavanaugh, where she, as a senator, questioned him aggressively. Trump criticized Harris for her “vicious” interrogation, saying no one in the history of Congress had been treated so poorly.
Harris’s tenure as a senator and her role in the Kavanaugh hearings were highly scrutinized, especially given her background as a prosecutor. Her confrontational style during those hearings made headlines, particularly when she questioned Kavanaugh about his potential discussions related to Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation.
Trump’s remarks reflect a continued pattern of personal attacks against Harris, especially as she has recently ascended to the top of the Democratic ticket. Despite some Republican calls for Trump to focus more on policy and less on personal insults, Harris’s rise in the polls—showing a narrow lead over Trump—has heightened tensions and fueled the ongoing political discourse.