Former President Donald Trump ridiculed Kamala Harris for seeking to 'copy' his campaign ideas, in a speech billed as an economy event where he brandished a box of tic tacs.
Trump is still whinging that Harris lifted one of his campaign talking points by declaring in Las Vegas that she will end taxes on tips for waiters and other tipped workers.
In campaign that features Trump vowing to deport millions of undocumented migrants and Harris issuing vague promises about the future, Trump said he is holding back his own detailed proposals for fear they'll get copied.
'Kamala Harris won’t end the economic crisis. She will only make it worse. And why hasn’t she done it? She talks about it. She’s doing a plan. You know she’s going to announce it this week. Maybe she’s waiting for me to announce it so she can copy it,' he joked.
Harris and President Joe Biden have repeatedly tried to connect Trump to the policy proposals of Project 2025, a group that employed a bevy of his former advisors. But the Trump camp has bristled at suggestions that their policies are his own.
Trump also used the speech to hammer Harris on inflation, although his blast came on a day when the Consumer Price Index has annual inflation dropping to 2.9 percent, the lowest it has been since 2021. That could finally prompt the Fed to ease interest rates.
Former President Donald Trump held up a box of Tic Tacs to talk about inflation, during a speech billed as an economic address
'People go to the grocery store, they have less than half a deal,' Trump said, before illustrating the point.
'This is Tic Tacs, right?' he said. 'I don't know if I like the company,' he joked. 'This is the greatest commercial they ever had, he said after fishing a box of Tic Tacs out of his pocket, and holding up a teeny, tiny box for comparison.
'This is inflation. This is Tic Tac,' he said. 'This is what's happened.'
Trump has made the comparison previously. He also previously spoke about the product in the infamous Access Hollywood tape. 'I better use some Tic Tacs just in case I start kissing her,' he told former host Billy Bush. 'You know I'm automatically attracted to beautiful—I just start kissing them. It's like a magnet. Just kiss. I don't even wait. And when you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab 'em by the p****. You can do anything.'
Trump insulted Harris once again. 'She's not a brilliant person. She's not a smart person. She is not very smart,' he said.
Trump also diverted from his economic message while arguing that Biden is angry and mistreated – this time suggesting he got a lousy spot at the Democratic convention.
Trump ridiculed Harris for taking one of his policy ideas
Trump veered away from his economic message
Trump also spoke about Tic Tacs in the infamous Access Hollywood tape where he spoke about grabbing women by the genitals
‘In fact, they’re not even giving him a good spot to speak. You know when he’s speaking? On Monday,’ Trump told his crowd in Asheville, North Carolina, where he said he would be doing well in new polls in a state where Kamala Harris is seeing gains compared to Biden.
‘Monday’s not the – that’s the worst day. But that’s what they do. It’s their own form of – it’s just another I guess relatively it’s a minor form of cheating by comparison to what they really do,’ Trump said.
The speaking lineup on the first day of the Republican Convention featured Sens. Katie Britt (Ala.), Tim Scott (S.C.), and Marsha Blackburn (Tenn.), Gov. Kristi Noem of South Dakota, and Teamsters President Sean O’Brien.
Harris continues to take heat for failing to schedule a formal interview and for steering clear of major policy proposals.
Both campaigns are paying close attention to North Carolina. Harris seized the lead there in the latest Cook Political Report survey there, 48 to 47. She campaigns there Thursday.
Trump promised there would be new polls coming out soon showing him ahead.
She blindsided congressional Democrats with the new tips policy proposal August 11.
'It is my promise to everyone here when I am president, we will continue to fight for working families, including to raise the minimum wage and eliminate taxes on tips for service and hospitality workers,' Harris said.
