Recently, former President Trump has held discussions with Tulsi Gabbard, the former Democratic Representative from Hawaii who once debated Vice President Harris in 2019.
Trump’s campaign confirmed these meetings but downplayed the notion that they were part of traditional debate preparation for his upcoming confrontation with Harris on September 10.
Trump’s debate strategy involves insights from prominent figures like Tulsi Gabbard, not traditional prep
“President Trump’s exceptional debating skills are well-documented, as seen in his performance against Joe Biden,” said Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt. “He doesn’t need conventional debate prep but values insights from prominent figures like Tulsi Gabbard, who successfully challenged Kamala Harris during their debate.”
The New York Times initially reported on Trump’s interactions with Gabbard.
Gabbard’s serious challenge to Harris came during the 2019 primary debate when she criticized Harris’s record as a prosecutor. Gabbard accused Harris of prosecuting over 1,500 individuals for marijuana offenses and of withholding evidence that could have freed an innocent man from death row.
“This behavior is unacceptable, and the victims of your prosecutorial actions deserve an apology,” Gabbard asserted, which proved to be a setback for Harris’s campaign.
Initially, Harris dismissed Gabbard’s criticisms, arguing that candidates should be evaluated based on their performance in office. In a subsequent debate, Harris criticized Gabbard for attacking former President Obama, for not labeling Bashar al-Assad as a “war criminal,” and for her associations with Trump allies.
Trump and Harris are scheduled to debate on September 10, hosted by ABC News. Trump’s prior debate with Biden in June led to intense scrutiny of Biden’s candidacy.
In preparation for his debate with Biden, Trump had meetings with various lawmakers and allies to discuss critical topics such as immigration, inflation, and foreign policy. Trump’s consultations included discussions with Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), whom he later chose as his running mate, as well as Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), among others.
