WASHINGTON – Former President Donald Trump recognized and defended his personal attacks on Vice President Kamala Harris at a news conference on Thursday at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. The primary purpose of the news conference was to discuss inflation and the economy, but it took a detour when Trump started criticizing Harris personally and making divisive comments about the Biden administration’s economic policy.

The main conclusions from Trump’s news conference are listed below.

1. Trump’s Personal Attacks on Kamala Harris: ‘I’m Very Angry with Her’

In his statements on Vice President Harris, Trump did not hold back and acknowledged that he had attacked her personally. Upon being questioned about his rhetoric, he said, “I think I’m entitled to personal attacks.” He went on to declare that he is “angry” at Harris for her involvement with the Biden administration, citing specific criticisms of their approaches to immigration and inflation.

Trump made a noteworthy assertion in which he said Harris is connected to the criminal matters that are pending against him, including his conviction in the New York hush money case, without offering any supporting documentation. He connected Harris to larger initiatives by Democrats and President Joe Biden to legally attack him. He claimed, “They want to put me in prison,” alluding to his upcoming sentence in the hush money case as well as the current legal disputes in Atlanta and Washington, D.C.

By raising doubts about Harris’s IQ and implying that she would make a “terrible president,” the former president intensified his attack. His caustic remarks are consistent with other remarks that have caused division among his party, with some Republicans advising Trump to concentrate more on policy and less on personal jabs. For instance, former governor of South Carolina Nikki Haley said on Fox News that the Trump campaign should stop focusing on personal attacks against Harris and instead concentrate on important issues. Haley contended that people won’t be receptive to talking about crowd numbers or Harris’s race.

However, the Harris team didn’t take long to reply, with spokesman James Singer characterizing Trump’s comments as “usual lies and delusions.”

2. The Economy and Living Expenses: Trump vs. Biden-Harris Government

Trump spoke on the economy and cost of living, two important issues for voters ahead of the 2024 election, despite the fact that personal insults took up much of the news conference. Surrounded by grocery bags piled on tables to highlight growing expenses, Trump attacked the Biden-Harris administration’s approach to supply chain problems and inflation.

Citing commonplace commodities like bread, cereal for breakfast, and Oreos, Trump emphasized that Americans are facing hardships due to escalating costs. He even made a joke about returning to his cabin with a box of Cheerios.

Trump’s economic criticism coincides with the Biden administration’s ongoing battle with inflation, which has had a big impact on American families. Nonetheless, recent months have seen a decrease in inflation rates. The US Labor Department reports that the 12-month inflation rate fell to 2.9%, the lowest level since 2021. Monthly prices increased by 0.2%, while annual food and energy costs increased by 2.2% and 1.1%, respectively.

Trump also commented on Harris’s impending economic plan, which forbids price-gouging in the grocery and food industries, at the conference. Rather than directly address her suggestion, he chastised Harris for being anti-fracking and implied that her price-control strategy would make matters worse.

Republicans have frequently claimed that the present inflation situation is the result of the economic policies implemented by the Biden administration. Trump reiterated these ideas, claiming that the cost of living has not decreased as a result of the programs implemented by Biden and Harris.

3. Immigration and False Allegations

During his news conference, Trump also addressed immigration, a significant issue he has always supported as part of his campaign. But there were a lot of falsehoods and exaggerations in his comments about immigration. With the false allegation that Harris intends to award them citizenship and provide them access to government health care, Medicare, and Social Security, Trump falsely claimed that Harris has permitted “at least 20 million” individuals to enter the country illegally.

Trump’s statements are a sharp contrast to the official figures. As of January 2022, an estimated 11 million illegal immigrants were living in the United States, according to the Department of Homeland Security. As Trump alleged, Harris has not endorsed giving unauthorized immigrants unrestricted access to federal resources.

The former president also asserted—a fact he did not support—that “virtually 100%” of net employment creation over the previous year had gone to immigrants. Trump’s immigration remarks have frequently been questioned for their veracity, but his supporters—many of whom have serious concerns about illegal immigration and border security—continue to use them as a rallying cry.

Trump’s Approach: A Blend of Criticism of Policies and Personal Attacks

During his news conference in New Jersey, Trump unveiled his continued 2024 election approach, which combines criticism of policies with personal assaults. Although some Republicans are pushing him to put more emphasis on his economic platform and criticize Harris and Biden’s records, Trump doesn’t appear ready to eschew the aggressive approach that characterized his earlier campaigns. Trump hopes to invigorate his followers by entwining attacks of the Biden-Harris administration with inflated claims on immigration and other subjects, while simultaneously addressing the legal problems that pose a danger to his presidential ambitions.

Despite requests from some in his party to modify his tone, Trump’s strategy with Harris—fusing personal jabs with business concerns—will probably continue to be a key component of his campaign as the 2024 contest heats up. For the time being, Trump seems unwavering in his conviction that he is “entitled” to criticize Harris, regardless of the political or legal ramifications.

Whether this tactic advances or impedes his quest to retake the White House will become clear in the coming months.