On Monday, Donald Trump, the former president, criticized Vice President Kamala Harris for what he perceives as her mimicry of his policy ideas, particularly regarding the taxation of tips and her stance on border security. He accused her of misleading the public by adopting policies she had previously not supported, including a proposal he made to eliminate taxes on tips, a policy Harris echoed at a Las Vegas rally, initially proposed by Trump two months prior.
Trump took to Truth Social to express his views: “Kamala Harris has flip-flopped on virtually every policy she has supported and lived by for her entire career, from the Border to Tips, and the Fake News Media isn’t reporting it,” he wrote. “She sounds more like Trump than Trump, copying almost everything. She is conning the American public, and will flip right back. I will MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! There will be no flipping!!!”
Trump had previously announced his proposal to not tax tips in June, during a Las Vegas rally. “So this is the first time I’ve said this, and for those hotel workers and people that get tips, you’re going to be very happy because when I get to office, we are going to not charge taxes on tips, on people making tips,” Trump had stated, emphasizing his commitment to what he believes is right for the country, popular or not.
Additionally, Trump attacked Harris’s claim of adopting a stringent approach towards border security, referencing one of her ads which describes her as supporting “the toughest border control bill in decades” and highlights her background as a “border state prosecutor.” Trump countered this narrative with strong language on Truth Social, saying, “Kamala Harris was put in sole charge of the Border. It quickly became the WORST AND MOST DANGEROUS BORDER IN HISTORY. As President, Harris will completely DESTROY OUR COUNTRY!”
This critique comes amidst ongoing Republican concerns regarding the high numbers of undocumented immigrants entering the U.S. during the Biden-Harris administration, and Harris’s alleged role as the administration’s “border czar.”
In the current political landscape, Trump holds a slight lead over Harris in key battleground polls, with Harris leading in Wisconsin and Michigan based on the most recent average polls.
