NORTH CAROLINA, USA: Former President Donald Trump attempted to refocus his campaign on the economy during a speech in Asheville, North Carolina, on Wednesday, but quickly reverted to his usual rhetoric, launching personal attacks on Vice President Kamala Harris.
The speech was aimed at addressing the economic challenges facing Americans, with Trump blaming Harris, who recently replaced President Biden as the Democratic nominee, for rising inflation and financial struggles.
Trump urged voters to compare their economic situation during his presidency to the current state, asking, “Does anyone here feel richer under Kamala Harris and Crooked Joe than you were during the Trump administration?” Despite this attempt to stay on message, Trump mocked Harris’s intelligence and distinctive laugh, calling it “the laugh of a crazy person,” and made claims about immigration, suggesting migrants are displacing American children.
The speech comes as pressure mounts on Trump to focus more on the economy, with recent polls showing Harris gaining ground in key swing states like North Carolina. A new poll revealed that Harris now leads Trump by a narrow margin in the state, a significant shift from earlier in the year when Trump held a comfortable lead over Biden.
Trump criticized Harris for her role in casting tie-breaking votes on Democratic spending bills, accusing her of worsening inflation. He contrasted this with his economic proposals, including extending the 2017 tax cuts and imposing tariffs on imports, though some experts warn these measures could exacerbate inflation.
The timing of Trump’s remarks coincided with the release of new Labor Department data showing a modest 0.2 percent rise in consumer prices for July and a slowing annual inflation rate of 2.9 percent, its lowest since March 2021. As the race heats up, Harris is expected to deliver her own policy-focused address in North Carolina later this week, highlighting her plans to tackle rising costs and economic challenges.
