On Sunday, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) advised former President Trump to stop targeting Vice President Harris over her race and heritage, suggesting that Trump’s comments were reminiscent of the “birtherism” conspiracy theories he once promoted.
During an interview at the National Association of Black Journalists convention on Wednesday, Trump questioned Harris’s racial identity, insinuating that she had misrepresented her race for political gain. His remarks were widely criticized as racist across the political spectrum.
Graham emphasized in a “Fox News Sunday” interview with Jacqui Heinrich that Trump should concentrate on policy issues rather than focusing on personal identity.
“My issue with Kamala Harris isn’t her heritage; it’s her judgment,” Graham stated. “As long as we’re discussing her race rather than her problematic liberal record, it benefits her and harms us. I urge President Trump to make the case against Harris’s poor judgment.”
Trump also shared Harris’s birth certificate on Truth Social, echoing his previous attacks on former President Obama and the “birtherism” controversies. The Harris campaign condemned these attacks, and analysts suggest they might negatively impact Trump’s appeal to Black voters.
Michael Tyler, spokesperson for the Harris campaign, criticized Trump’s rhetoric, saying, “The hostility Trump displayed is consistent with his behavior throughout his career and campaign, as he seeks to impose his harmful agenda on the American people.”
Several prominent Republicans, including Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), have urged party members to moderate their attacks on Harris’s race following comments that labeled her a “DEI hire,” which were criticized as racist.