'I don’t see her negotiating with Xi of China': Donald Trump says Kamala Harris rambled in her first big TV interview

Former President Donald Trump wasted little time attacking Vice President Kamala Harris after her first major interview since being named the Democratic nominee. 

In a social media post on Thursday, Trump criticized Harris for what he called "rambling incoherently" during her interview with CNN's Dana Bash. He focused on her response to questions about her past flip-flops on key policy issues, particularly on matters like the Green New Deal and Medicare for All. Trump noted sarcastically, “Her answer rambled incoherently, and declared her ‘values haven’t changed.’ On that I agree, her values haven’t changed.” 

He then ominously predicted that under her leadership, “America will become a WASTELAND!”

Harris, during the interview, insisted that her core values remained consistent, even as she distanced herself from earlier positions. The interview, which took 40 days to happen after President Biden’s decision to exit the 2024 race, gave Trump ample opportunity to attack. 

In the interview, Harris defended her policy shifts as Republicans questioned her sincerity in moving toward the political center on issues like immigration, healthcare, and energy policy ahead of the November 5 election. Harris, 59, emphasized that her core values have not changed, stating, "I think the most important and most significant aspect of my policy perspective and decisions is my values have not changed," during her conversation with Dana Bash.

Throughout the nearly hour-long interview, Harris repeatedly used this phrase to counter accusations of political opportunism. She sought to reassure voters that, despite her adjustments on certain policies, her fundamental beliefs remained consistent.

Harris's abandoned policy positions include pledges she made in 2019 during her run for the Democratic presidential nomination, such as eliminating private health insurance, decriminalizing illegal border crossings, banning fracking for oil and natural gas, and prohibiting the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035.

Trump mocked the optics, pointing out that Harris was “sitting behind a desk doing this interview” and said, “I’ll be honest, I don’t see her negotiating with President Xi of China. I don’t see her with Kim Jong Un like we did with Kim Jong Un.” Trump also criticized the decision to do her first major interview with Democratic vice presidential contender Tim Walz, saying it showed her reluctance to face tough questions. As the political landscape heats up, Harris and Trump are slated to square off in a debate in Philadelphia on September 10.