Trump to Hold News Conference, Criticizes Harris for Avoiding Interviews

Former President Donald Trump is scheduled to hold a news conference on Thursday afternoon at his Bedminster golf club. This marks his second media event within a week, amid increasing pressure on Vice President Kamala Harris to participate in interviews and engage with reporters.

During a speech in North Carolina on Wednesday, Trump criticized Harris for her lack of media engagement, stating, “She refuses to do any interviews or press conferences, almost 30 days now, she has not done an interview. You know why she hasn’t done an interview? Because she’s not smart. She’s not intelligent.”

Trump’s campaign asserts that Harris is attempting to “duck and hide” from the media spotlight.

The upcoming news conference is set for 4:30 p.m. and follows a lively session Trump held at his Mar-a-Lago estate the previous week. During that event, he addressed a multitude of topics, including his critiques of Harris, immigration policies, and reproductive rights.

In his exchanges with reporters, Trump often reiterated false claims regarding various issues, notably the 2020 election results and the crowd size at his January 6 rally, which preceded the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol by a mob of his supporters.

Recent news conferences appear to be a strategic move by Trump’s campaign to establish a clear contrast between him and Harris. At his Mar-a-Lago press briefing, he remarked, “She hasn’t done an interview — she can’t do an interview.” He also expressed eagerness for the upcoming debates, viewing them as an opportunity to “set the record straight.”

The Harris campaign is utilizing Trump’s news conferences to draw attention to his missteps and challenge the policies he endorses. They issued a statement saying, “Trump did the only thing he knows how to do — he went out and lied, made up stories, mixed up dates, attacked the media, and, overall, reminded Americans that he is a deeply unwell man.”

Despite criticism regarding her media engagement, Harris has interacted with reporters during her campaign, including brief exchanges while aboard Air Force Two and responding to shouted questions from the press. Her campaign has indicated that she will conduct a sit-down interview before the month ends.

Michael Tyler, the communications director for the Harris-Walz campaign, asserted, “We will commit to directly engage with the voters that are actually gonna decide this election, and that is gonna be complete with rallies, with sit-down interviews, with press conferences, with all the digital assets we have at our disposal.” This commitment comes amid inquiries about her plans for further media interaction.

Although Harris has not been as visible to the media as Trump, she has been actively campaigning alongside her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, traveling extensively to key battleground states.

Trump recently made an appearance in Montana to support GOP Senate candidate Tim Sheehy and is scheduled to hold a rally in Pennsylvania, another pivotal state in the election.

As the election campaign gains momentum, the focus on media strategy and public engagement remains critical for both candidates as they seek to sway undecided voters and solidify their bases.