On Monday, the Trump-Vance campaign launched a new ad accusing Vice President Kamala Harris and the Democratic Party of promoting violence. This ad came just one day after former President Donald Trump survived his second assassination attempt in recent months.
The ad focuses on statements made by prominent Democrats, beginning with a 2018 clip of Harris on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. When asked about being stuck in an elevator with Trump, Harris joked, “Does one of us have to come out alive?” The ad also includes clips of President Joe Biden saying he’d like to take Trump “behind the gym and beat the hell out of him.”
Other Democrats featured in the ad include Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi. The campaign argues that their inflammatory remarks have contributed to an atmosphere that encourages violence against Trump.
The Trump-Vance campaign followed up with a detailed statement, listing instances where Democrats’ rhetoric allegedly motivated attacks on Trump. According to the campaign, the language used by Democratic leaders has been a driving force behind the two assassination attempts against the former president.
The ad has stirred debate across the political spectrum. While conservatives have praised it for exposing double standards in political rhetoric, critics like MSNBC’s MaddowBlog downplayed the seriousness of the assassination attempt. The blog referred to the incident as an “apparent” attempt and defended Harris’ previous remarks.
Trump, along with his running mate Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), is using the ad to underscore the growing divide between the two political parties. The campaign is pushing the narrative that Democrats are encouraging violence through their words.
