Trump Flails As Harris Gains Momentum

Donald Trump's campaign, struggling to land effective blows on Kamala Harris' new presidential bid, faces a critical week as it seeks to regain footing after the vice president's entrance transformed an already unpredictable election.

The former president has deployed his familiar political arsenal—targeting racial identity, creating alternative realities, flinging insults, and gaslighting. On Sunday, for example, he floated a false conspiracy theory about the size of Harris’ rally crowd in Michigan. Yet, his attempts to undermine Harris have so far backfired, highlighting his own vulnerabilities rather than hers and showcasing Harris as a fresh alternative for voters.

When Trump labeled Harris as “dumb” at a Montana rally or falsely claimed last month that she “happened to turn Black,” he may have thrilled his core supporters. But such remarks risk alienating women, swing-state voters, and minority groups, who have been crucial to his recent electoral gains. On Saturday, Trump’s campaign was forced to deny a New York Times report that he had privately referred to Harris as a “b*tch,” a sign of frustration with her growing momentum.

Trump’s erratic behavior last week, coupled with a weekend of venting, suggests the Republican nominee is struggling to adapt to a race that appeared to be tilting in his favor just three weeks ago. Back then, confident Republicans left their convention predicting a landslide. But Harris, along with her new running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, has since sparked a wave of enthusiasm among Democrats not seen in years, leaving Trump fuming after what he thought was a decisive debate victory against President Joe Biden.

In just three weeks, Harris has created a potential turning point—offering voters a surge of optimism after a bleak period in modern history with her message that Americans “don’t want to go back” to the chaos of Trump’s term. Her approach is working, for now, in returning the race to a neck-and-neck contest. Polls show her narrowing Biden’s deficits, with a New York Times/Siena College survey released Saturday revealing no clear leader in the critical swing states of Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.

Harris’ success in not just deflecting Trump’s initial attacks, but also using them to expose what she views as extremism, has thrown the Trump campaign off balance. Her elevation as the Democratic torchbearer, following Biden’s withdrawal three weeks ago, has energized her party, which now rivals Trump’s in enthusiasm—a major shift from when Biden led the ticket. Once again, hope and a sense of renewal are proving to be powerful political forces.

Yet, campaigns are dynamic, and while Harris may benefit from a compressed run-up to November, there are still nearly three months to go. Trump remains a formidable political force and a ruthless opponent. Having solidified his party’s support, particularly after surviving an assassination attempt last month, he should still benefit from structural factors, including voter pessimism about the economy, that typically shape elections.

Trump is expected to hone in on this issue during a speech in North Carolina on Wednesday, where he’ll argue that “hard-working Americans are suffering because of the Harris-Biden administration’s dangerously liberal policies” and that prices are “excruciatingly high.” If he stays on message, this appearance—set in a state Democrats are eager to flip—will test whether focusing on fundamental issues can counter the initial wave of enthusiasm for Harris.

Trump has criticized Harris for avoiding unscripted moments in news conferences or interviews, and she will soon face rising pressure to provide more detailed policies on domestic and international issues. Harris has promised to lay out her economic policy framework this week, but she is vulnerable to adverse economic news that could sway voters feeling insecure.

Recognizing the stakes, Harris acknowledged during a San Francisco fundraiser on Sunday, “It’s really been a good couple of weeks, but we have a lot of work to do.” Meanwhile, Trump sent his vice-presidential nominee, Sen. JD Vance, to the Sunday talk shows in an attempt to stifle the Harris wave. Vance painted Harris and Walz as extreme liberals and staked out tough border policies while accusing Harris of complicity in Biden’s economic policies.

However, Vance was also forced to defend Trump’s often self-sabotaging comments, including the false claim that Harris, the daughter of a Jamaican father and Indian mother, is not Black. Vance tried to sidestep the issue by saying, “I believe that Kamala Harris is whatever she says she is,” but added, “I believe, importantly, that President Trump is right that she’s a chameleon.”

As Trump struggles to adjust to the changing dynamics of the campaign, the upcoming debate between him and Harris on September 10 looms as a pivotal moment. Trump insists that their first showdown will take place a week earlier on Fox, but Harris has so far agreed to only one debate. Early in her vice presidency, Harris stumbled in interviews and press interactions, and Trump’s team is eager to provoke more unscripted moments.

While Harris appears to have grown as a political performer, there’s no reason for her team to expose her to unnecessary risks when her campaign is currently soaring. However, she won’t be able to avoid deeper scrutiny for much longer—nor should she, as she’s running for president. Harris recently mentioned she’s considering a major interview by the end of the month.

For now, Harris’ aspirational stump speech aligns with Democratic orthodoxy, but she speaks in broad strokes. Since becoming the nominee, she’s provided little insight into her thoughts on global challenges or threats to U.S. power. Instead, her campaign has focused on tackling political pitfalls, such as by releasing an ad branding her as tough on border issues and positioning Trump as a hindrance to curbing undocumented migration.

Given Trump’s unpopularity, simply being a younger, more optimistic alternative to his dystopian vision might be enough for Harris to win the election. But until she proves herself in an uncontrolled public setting, questions about her political agility will linger—especially since her 2020 primary campaign quickly faded as her liabilities became more apparent. As the campaign heats up, Trump is still searching for a way to respond to the new and rapidly changing dynamics.