At a recent rally in Erie, Pennsylvania, Vice President Kamala Harris came out swinging against former President Donald Trump, accusing him of advocating for the use of military force against Americans. Harris showcased clips of Trump’s remarks, including one where he called domestic opponents “the worst people” and suggested handling them with “one really violent day, one rough hour.” She also brought up Trump’s comments on using the National Guard or military on Election Day, which he mentioned in a Fox News interview.
“He wants to send the military after U.S. citizens,” was the message on the campaign trail this week by Vice President Harris. “He considers any American who doesn’t agree with him is an enemy from within.”
Trump’s words were aimed at what he calls potential “chaos” from those who oppose him, framing his stance as necessary to preserve order. Harris didn’t hold back, describing his rhetoric as “unhinged” and labeling it a dangerous pursuit of “unchecked power.” She urged voters to recognize the risks of another Trump presidency, emphasizing that he’s painting fellow Americans as enemies and targeting institutions like the press, judges, and election officials who stand in his way.
This rally was part of Harris’s intensive “blue wall blitz,” focusing on key swing states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin. She stressed that places like Erie County are crucial battlegrounds, as they flipped between Trump in 2016 and Biden in 2020. Harris’s running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, also took a firm stance earlier in Wisconsin, stating Trump had “crossed a line” with his military remarks.
The Trump campaign has responded by doubling down on its messaging, with spokesperson Stephen Cheung backing the former president’s comments as a necessary stance against what they describe as threats to democracy. The vice president’s direct strategy indicates that she and her campaign see these states as crucial in defining the stakes for 2024, especially against an emboldened Trump campaign determined to hold its ground.
Harris has been unable to prove her statements that Trump has intentions of mobilizing military assets against law-abiding citizens. Trump had said in the past that the U.S. military could be used to restore order during large-scale violent demonstrations and protests such as the ones during the BLM riots.
