Former President Donald Trump took aim at Vice President Kamala Harris during his speech at the Al Smith charity dinner on Thursday night, mispronouncing her name and ridiculing her family. The Catholic fundraiser in New York City has traditionally been a venue for light-hearted roasts by presidential candidates, but Trump’s speech was filled with personal attacks and complaints about how he was treated during his time in office. The audience, consisting of his allies and adversaries, responded with occasional laughter and cheers.
While Trump spoke at the storied dinner, Harris was campaigning in battleground state Wisconsin. This marked her sixth visit to the state since President Joe Biden withdrew from the 2024 race, leaving Harris as the Democratic front-runner.
Speaking to voters, Harris criticized Trump for his self-proclaimed title as the “father of IVF,” a comment he made during an all-women’s town hall. “What does that even mean?” Harris asked mockingly, using his words to sharpen her attacks against him. She also accused Trump of “gaslighting” the American public after he referred to the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot as a “day of love.”
What has Trump said?
Back in Manhattan, Trump was flanked by New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan and his wife, Melania Trump. Not far from him was New York Attorney General Letitia James, who successfully pursued a civil fraud case against the former president. Also in attendance were New York Jets owner Woody Johnson and former Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who remained stoic during Trump’s remarks.
Trump’s speech included a few jokes, but mostly consisted of attacks on his political opponents. He described Harris’ decision to skip the event as “deeply disrespectful” to Catholics. Trump’s criticism also extended to Harris’ intelligence, saying, “We have someone in the White House who can barely talk, barely put together two coherent sentences… But enough about Kamala Harris.”
He also took shots at Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, mocking their support for transgender rights. When asked if he had any self-deprecating jokes, Trump paused and replied, “Nope. I’ve got nothing.”
Trump’s Continued Defense Of Allies
During his speech, Trump also expressed support for New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who was indicted on corruption charges. Trump, repeating his frequent claim that Adams’ indictment was politically motivated due to his criticism of the Biden administration’s border policy, wished the mayor luck. “You’re going to win. Good luck,” Trump said.
Despite being convicted earlier this year in New York of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, Trump continues to plead not guilty in three additional criminal cases, which he claims are political attacks orchestrated by the Biden administration.
Harris Responds From Afar
While Harris was not physically present at the Al Smith dinner, she did send a video message to the attendees. In her message, Harris quoted the Gospel of Luke, calling for faith to “shine a light on those living in darkness” and urging Americans to work toward a better future. She also performed a lighthearted skit with comedian Molly Shannon, reprising her famous “Saturday Night Live” character, Mary Katherine Gallagher. Shannon’s character playfully advised Harris not to “say anything negative about the Catholics,” to which Harris replied, “I would never do that.”
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