New York Times: Trump made offensive remark about Harris’ mental acuity at dinner with donors
Former President Donald Trump reportedly referred to Vice President Kamala Harris with an offensive term while urging top Republican donors to contribute more to his campaign, according to a Saturday report from The New York Times.
The remark allegedly occurred last month during a donor dinner at Trump’s penthouse, attended by figures such as his former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and her husband, hedge fund manager Paul Singer, investment banker Warren Stephens, and billionaire Joe Ricketts.
During the gathering, Trump emphasized the benefits his tax policies had provided to the wealthy and urged donors to support his campaign more generously. The former president is said to be frustrated by fundraising figures, as Harris continues to outpace him in contributions, The Times reported.
“If money guaranteed electoral success, Hillary Clinton would have been president,” Trump’s campaign stated in a message to CNN on Saturday. Campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt added that Trump is in a strong financial position and leads in the polls.
Trump’s frustration comes as the 2024 race remains close. OpenSecret, a nonpartisan organization tracking election finances, recently reported that Trump could struggle to match his 2020 campaign’s fundraising totals at the current rate.
Meanwhile, Harris has raised $1 billion since launching her campaign in late July, reaching the milestone quickly. While other candidates have previously raised similar sums, Harris achieved this at a remarkable pace, CNN reported.
Trump frequently disparages opponents, including President Joe Biden, whom he has publicly criticized in the past. Recently, he insulted Harris’ mental state at a Pennsylvania rally, calling her “mentally impaired.”
Harris has faced criticism herself for comments made during her 2019 campaign, when she responded, “Well said,” to a voter’s question that included the term “mentally retarded.” Harris later apologized, saying she had not heard the term and clarified that such language is unacceptable.
