Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, has stepped up his personal attacks on his Democratic opponent, Kamala Harris, by restating an old insult that she is “mentally impaired”. Additionally, he suggested that she should be “impeached and prosecuted.”
Trump’s rally in Erie, Pennsylvania echoed his dark tone from another rally the previous day. Speaking to an enthusiastic crowd, he accused Harris of causing an “invasion” at the U.S.-Mexico border and alleged that “she should be impeached and prosecuted for her actions.” He then went on to assert that his other political enemy, Joe Biden, had become mentally impaired – “But lying Kamala Harris, honestly, she seems to have been born that way.”
As the election draws closer, Trump is utilizing personal attacks more, despite the opinion of some Republicans that it would be more advantageous for him to concentrate on issue-based criticisms. Particularly noticeable are his suggestions for politically motivated legal action to be taken against his opponents, a remarkable deviation from U.S. standards that ensure the justice system is protected from political influence.
In recent times, Trump has issued threats of lawsuits against tech giant Google and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg for perceived biased treatment in favor of his opponents. Nonetheless, Trump is not without legal problems himself. His conviction in a recent hush money case coupled with the impending sentencing set for November and two ongoing cases against him have further complicated his political career.
Trump insists that he is being targeted for political reasons by prosecutors, although there is no evidence to support this assertion. Amidst all this, he admitted the possibility of losing the election in November but insisted that he was unfazed by the outcome.
Attacks on Harris, the first Black woman and South Asian heritage individual to lead a major party ticket, have been marked by derogatory comments from Trump, including being referred to as “stupid,” “weak,” “dumb as a rock” and “lazy.” Trump’s allies however have encouraged him to focus on issues like the economy and immigration instead.
Trump’s focus on Harris’ heritage and competency have been questioned as inappropriate by several voices within the Republican party. Despite these controversies and resulting debates, some of Trump’s supporters revealed that they overlooked his offensive remarks because they endorsed his political positions, particularly on immigration and economic matters.
Trump maintains his adamant stance on immigration, promising at the Erie rally that the supposed “invasion” would cease and deportations would begin if he was voted into office. He painted a picture of thousands of immigrants supposedly wreaking havoc in small towns causing despair for local communities, particularly in the battleground states of Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania.
Last month, Trump had stated that he was “entitled” to personal attacks against Harris because he was angry at what she had done to the country and believed she had weaponized the justice system against him. Regardless, it is yet to be seen in the coming weeks how effective these controversies and personal attacks are in swaying the opinions of the voters.
