Vice President Kamala Harris said in an interview aired Monday that she expected former President Donald Trump to lie during the ABC News presidential debate on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the Trump campaign and its representatives continued to suggest Monday that the former president’s strategy in the debate will be to link Harris to what they say are his policy failures and “disasters” as leader of the Biden-Harris administration.
With time running out until the two candidates meet for the debate, both candidates are working to build anticipation in what is expected to be a key moment for both campaigns as they seek to attract voters ahead of what is expected to be a tight contest in November.
In a radio interview with morning show host Rickey Smiley, Harris said, “We should be prepared for the fact that he doesn’t have to tell the truth.”
“And we have to prepare ourselves for the fact that he’s probably going to tell a lot of lies,” she said in the interview, recorded Wednesday while Harris was at a rally in New Hampshire.
“Kamala Harris and Donald Trump – ABC News Presidential Debate” moderated by David Muir and Linsey Davis.
Al Drago/ABC NEWS
“I think he’s going to lie,” she said.
At a press conference hosted by the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee Monday afternoon, Trump campaign national press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Harris “will ultimately be forced to defend her record” on issues including crime and the border.
Jason Miller, a senior adviser to the Trump campaign, claimed that Kamala Harris was the one running the White House — not President Joe Biden — and therefore other major events such as the East Palestine train derailment in Ohio or the Maui wildfires in Hawaii were her fault: “Every single one of these disasters is Kamala Harris’ fault.”
Later, in response to a question about what tone Trump would take with Harris, Miller said Trump would “be himself.”
The ABC News debate, hosted by David Muir and Linsey Davis, will take place on Tuesday, September 10 at 9 p.m. ET. A special pre-debate will air in primetime at 8 p.m. ET. It will air on ABC and stream on ABC News Live, Disney+ and Hulu. Viewers can also stream the debate on the ABC app on smartphones and tablets, ABC.com and connected devices.
In this combination photo, Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris speaks during a debate, October 7, 2020, in Salt Lake City. At left, Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks during a debate, June 27, 2024, in Atlanta.
AP
While Harris’ strategy has been to establish her presence and rebrand herself to voters, she now plans to prioritize attacking Trump’s record and riling him up during the debate.
Harris told Smiley that she “intended[s] to point out that Trump “tends to fight for himself, not the American people.”
Donald Trump participates in a Fox News town hall with Sean Hannity at New Holland Arena on September 4, 2024 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
Harris’ campaign also stressed that this is new territory for her, as it is her first-ever presidential debate, compared to what will be Trump’s seventh. It is the first time the two women have faced off.
Harris continues to hunker down in Pittsburgh, participating in mock debates on a fully lit stage that was set up in his hotel to help energize Tuesday’s environment.
She’s also leaning on many of the advisers who helped prepare Hillary Clinton in 2016, including Philippe Reines, who is standing in for Trump and approaching his role like a method actor — playing Trump while wearing a wig, according to a source.
The Trump campaign is aware of Harris’ extensive preparation for the debate — former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who is advising Trump on the debate, said on Fox and Friends Monday that “Harris should not be underestimated” given her “robust” debate preparation.
“She takes this debate seriously,” Gabbard said. “She’s going to come prepared with lines memorized, ready to recite them and deliver them in a way that I think is very effective.”
Gabbard said Trump “doesn’t need” to prepare like Harris, and instead has engaged in non-traditional preparation that includes engaging with the American people through interviews and town hall meetings.
Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris arrives aboard Air Force Two at Atlantic Aviation Philadelphia, September 9, 2024, near Philadelphia International Airport, ahead of the presidential debate with Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump.
Jacquelyn Martin/AP
Gabbard added that Harris’ record speaks for itself and that Trump is “very focused on the issues.” He will emphasize her role as sitting vice president leading the current administration.
Still, the former president is preparing more than he lets on, sources told ABC News. Trump is holding informal sessions with a small team of advisers, including Gabbard and Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz.
Gaetz asked Trump about some of the tougher topics, such as his legal troubles, according to the sources.
ABC News’ Emily Chang, Soo Rin Kim, Kelsey Walsh and Lalee Ibssa contributed to this report.
