Kamala Harris, aware that Donald Trump is still considered by many voters as the best candidate for the American economy, sharply attacked him on Wednesday, painting him as a friend of the rich and criticizing his record.
The vice president and Democratic candidate in the November 5 election defended her plans for the world’s largest economy and purchasing power in Pittsburgh, the historic steel capital of Pennsylvania.
“For Donald Trump, the economy must serve the owners of the big skyscrapers. Not those who build them, nor those who install the electricity, nor those who wash the floors,” criticized Kamala Harris, presenting herself instead as a child of the middle class.
The Democrat, for whom the high cost of living remains a serious electoral handicap, attacked the record of her billionaire rival in the White House.
She accused him of costing America 200,000 manufacturing jobs and said China had “constantly outplayed” its adversary technologically and commercially.
The 59-year-old candidate nevertheless acknowledged that the cost of living remained “too high” for households, repeating her few concrete promises: a tax credit for young families and for small business creators, assistance with purchasing housing, control of the often exorbitant price of medicines, etc.
All of this must be financed by heavier taxation on large companies and large fortunes.
Our reports from the United States
“Not serious”
In her first solo television interview since taking over the White House race from Joe Biden, on MSNBC, she then accused her rival of being “not serious” about his plan to impose heavy tariffs on imported goods if he wins.
“Kamala Harris is right about one thing: It’s time to turn the page. She’s had three and a half years to show what she can do and she’s failed” on the economy, counterattacked Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for Donald Trump’s campaign.
The Democratic candidate, who plans to travel to Arizona on Friday, a city bordering Mexico, also promised during the same interview to revive a bill from the current Democratic president if she wins.
This text, torpedoed by the Republicans, planned to increase the resources of the border police and to restrict access to the right to asylum.
While the Republican seems to be losing his edge over Kamala Harris on the economy, at least according to polls conducted among voters, he is considered much more convincing on immigration, again according to opinion polls.
The former president, who did not hesitate to spread false racist information about immigrants from Haiti, accuses his rival of having transformed the southern border into a sieve, and promises mass expulsions in the event of victory.
Iran and Ukraine
Of the seven famous swing states — Wisconsin, Michigan, North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona, Nevada and Pennsylvania — this last one is the big prize, because it will offer 19 electoral votes to whoever wins it on November 5.
The first to reach 270 electors will win the presidential election, which is an indirect vote.
Donald Trump will also soon be visiting Pennsylvania as part of his campaign, more precisely Butler, the same place where he was the target of an assassination attempt in mid-July.
On Wednesday, the Republican, campaigning in another highly coveted state, North Carolina, attacked Iran, saying that it would be necessary to threaten to “destroy” the country if Tehran attacked a candidate in the American election.
He was referring to his own case, after having announced the day before that his life was directly threatened by Iran.
The Republican candidate has been the target of two assassination attempts in recent months.
Donald Trump also sharply criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is due to meet Kamala Harris on Thursday.
“Every time he came to our country, he left with 60 billion dollars, I think he is the best salesman on the planet,” the former president joked.