Former President Donald Trump said world leaders would treat Vice President Kamala Harris “like a toy” if she were elected president.
On a interview with Fox News’ Laura Ingraham, some of which aired on Tuesday, Trump – who has a long history of making derogatory comments about female opponents – said, “She will be so easy for them. She will be like a toy.”
He added: “They look at her and say we can’t believe we were so lucky. They will step on it.
Looking directly into the camera, Trump said, “I don’t want to say why, but a lot of people understand.”
The former president repeatedly attacked women who criticized him, mocking his appearance and insulting his character. During the 2016 Republican presidential cycle, he called Hillary Clinton, the Democratic candidate, a “nasty woman” — an insult that your supporters has turned into a feminist – and “unhinged” – rallying cry. Trump also mocked the face of his Republican primary rival, Carly Fiorina, on television and shared an unflattering photo from Senator Ted Cruz’s wife, Heidi Cruz, on Twitter.
Trump has launched personal attacks and unflattering nicknames at his male opponents, but attacks on his female rivals are often gender-based. He has referred to former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as “crazy,” adult film actress Stormy Daniels as “horseface” and his 2024 primary rival Nikki Haley as “bird brain.”
Trump and his allies have targeted Harris with attacks on her race and gender since she entered the presidential race, calling her a “crazy” and a “vice president of DEI.” They also made fun of Harris’ laugh and called her “dumb as a rock.” On Wednesday alone, Trump referred to the vice president as “Crazy Kamala” at least five times on his Truth Social website.
Harris’ campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said Trump was not referring to Harris’ race or gender in the interview with Ingraham and criticized Harris on her immigration record.
“She is weak, dishonest and dangerously liberal, which is why the American people will reject her on November 5,” Leavitt said in a statement.
Trump’s running mate, Senator J.D. Vance — who is also facing backlash over comments he made in 2021 about “hot women without kids” leading the country — repeatedly used the word “weak” during a speech in Nevada on Tuesday Monday when describing Harris’ leadership.
“Of all of Kamala Harris’s failures, the worst of all is that she left America weak and vulnerable,” Vance said. “The entire world now knows that she helped cover up Joe Biden’s declining mental capacity for years.”
But he told NBC News there is “no particular effort to label her as weak.” Vance added: “If there’s one specific label we want the American people to know, it’s that she’s ultraliberal.”
This story originally appeared on NBCNews.com read the full story
