Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris took aim at her Republican rival Donald Trump on Monday, criticizing his recent comments about an “enemy within” the United States and his suggestion to use the military domestically. Speaking at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, Harris accused Trump of posing a threat to democracy, calling his rhetoric unstable and dangerous. The U.S. vice president also aired a clip of Trump from a recent rally where he claimed internal enemies were more dangerous than Russia, a point Harris used to paint him as unfit for leadership.
Harris, 59, who has been increasingly vocal against Trump in recent weeks, has also questioned the former president’s mental and physical fitness, urging him to release his health records. At the Erie rally, she doubled down on this issue, referring to Trump’s frequent tangents and obsession with fictional characters like Hannibal Lecter as further evidence of his instability. “A second Trump term would be a huge risk for America,” she told the crowd, emphasizing her concerns about his escalating rhetoric.
Trump, in a recent interview on Fox News, suggested that the National Guard or military might be necessary to handle the perceived “chaos” from an “enemy within” on Election Day. Harris seized on these comments to highlight the danger she believes Trump poses, pointing out that he would not have the authority to give such orders as a non-incumbent candidate. The Trump campaign did not respond to these remarks, leaving Harris to continue framing her opponent as a threat to domestic peace.
Harris’s trip to Pennsylvania is part of a larger effort to shore up support in key battleground states. With the state’s 19 electoral votes crucial to the election outcome, Harris has visited Pennsylvania ten times since securing the Democratic nomination in July. Her campaign is particularly focused on mobilizing Black voters, especially Black men, a demographic where Trump has gained some ground.
In an effort to counter this, Harris unveiled new policy proposals aimed at Black men, including forgivable small business loans and greater access to the legal recreational marijuana industry. These proposals, first reported by Reuters, are intended to address economic inequality and help restore Black communities that have been disproportionately affected by past law enforcement policies.
Harris’s campaign is keenly aware of the slipping support from Black voters, particularly among young Black men. A September poll by the NAACP found that more than a quarter of young Black men are considering supporting Trump. By comparison, President Joe Biden secured around 80% of the Black male vote in the 2020 election, and Harris’s team is working hard to recapture those numbers.
The newly announced policy package is part of a broader strategy to make Black men a central focus of her campaign. This includes proposals like 1 million fully forgivable loans of up to $20,000 for entrepreneurs in underserved communities, along with a national health equity initiative to address diseases such as sickle cell anaemia, which disproportionately affects Black men.
Harris also plans to expand access to the cryptocurrency industry for Black Americans, recognizing the growing interest and economic potential in this space. Additionally, her marijuana legalization plan aims to ensure Black entrepreneurs can have a significant stake in the industry as it becomes more regulated and profitable.
If elected, Harris would make history as the first Black woman, the second Black president, and the first individual of South Asian descent to hold the office. Her focus on policy proposals for Black men marks an important push to galvanize this critical voter base as the campaign enters its final stretch. The rollout of these initiatives comes just ahead of her upcoming interview with Charlamagne tha God, a prominent voice in the Black community and a critic of the Biden administration.
