Vice President Kamala Harris has resumed her "dictator" messaging against former President Donald Trump following controversy over her comments about Gold Star families.
According to a report by Breitbart News, Harris shared a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on September 1, 2024, featuring an image of Trump with the caption "Donald Trump Vows to Be a Dictator on Day One," accompanied by her own comment, "We won't let him."
This renewed focus on portraying Trump as a potential dictator comes just a day after Harris faced backlash for her remarks about Gold Star families. The Vice President had criticized Trump's visit to Arlington National Cemetery, where he honored 13 fallen service members killed during the Biden-Harris administration's withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Harris's initial comments about Trump's cemetery visit sparked outrage among Gold Star families. She suggested that the visit was politically motivated, stating that Arlington National Cemetery is not a place for politics.
In response to Harris's remarks, several Gold Star families issued a joint statement, which was shared by Trump on social media. The statement read in part:
We, the families of the brave service members who were tragically killed in the Abbey Gate bombing, are appalled by Vice President Kamala Harris' recent attempts to politicize President Trump's visit to Arlington National Cemetery.
The families emphasized that they had invited Trump to attend the ceremony commemorating the three-year anniversary of their loved ones' deaths. They accused Harris of twisting a sacred moment into a political ploy.
Trump addressed the "dictator" narrative in a December 2023 interview with Sean Hannity. When asked if he would abuse power for retribution, Trump clarified his stance:
Except for day one. I want to close the border and I want to drill, drill, drill.
Trump further explained that his use of the term "dictator" was limited to his plans for executive actions on his first day in office, specifically regarding border security and energy policies.
He emphasized that these actions were not intended as retribution but as measures to address what he perceives as damage caused by the Biden-Harris administration.
The resurgence of the "dictator" messaging from Harris appears to be an attempt to shift focus away from the controversy surrounding her comments about Gold Star families. It also aligns with previous Democratic efforts to portray Trump as a threat to democracy.
However, Trump and his supporters argue that his policies, such as those related to border security and energy independence, are aimed at benefiting American workers and the country as a whole. They contend that the use of executive actions to implement these policies does not equate to dictatorial behavior.
The timing of Harris's renewed messaging strategy has drawn criticism from those who view it as an attempt to distract from her recent controversy and to reframe the political narrative ahead of the 2024 election.
Vice President Kamala Harris has revived the "dictator" messaging against former President Donald Trump following controversy over her comments about Gold Star families. This move comes after Harris faced backlash for criticizing Trump's visit to Arlington National Cemetery. Trump has previously addressed and refuted the "dictator" narrative, explaining his planned executive actions for his potential first day in office. The timing and nature of Harris's renewed messaging strategy have drawn attention and criticism from various political observers.
