Kamala Harris Slams Donald Trump’s ‘Like It or Not’ Comment on Women

Vice President Kamala Harris has criticized former President Donald Trump’s recent remarks claiming he would “protect women whether they like it or not.”
Harris said on Thursday that such statements reflect Trump’s lack of understanding of women’s rights to make their own decisions regarding their bodies and lives.
“I think it’s offensive to everybody, by the way,” Harris said before embarking on a day of campaigning in the battleground states of Arizona and Nevada.
At a rally in Phoenix, she further emphasized her point, saying, “He simply does not respect the freedom of women or the intelligence of women to know what’s in their own best interests and make decisions accordingly. But we trust women.”
Trump’s comments come as he has been struggling to connect with female voters.
Harris is actively courting women across party lines with a message centered on the importance of personal freedom, especially regarding reproductive rights.
She contends that under a Trump administration, women could face increasing restrictions on their choices.
At a rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on Wednesday, Trump mentioned that his aides had advised him to refrain from using the term ‘protector’ because it was ‘inappropriate.’
However, he added: “Well, I’m going to do it whether the women like it or not. I am going to protect them.”
The remarks became a focal point for Harris’s campaign.
Harris’s rally in Las Vegas featured a special introduction by actress and singer Jennifer Lopez, who spoke about the importance of women in this election. “I believe in the power of women,” she said, stressing that women have the ability to make a significant difference at the polls.
She also addressed comments made by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, who had disparaged Puerto Rico at a Trump rally, asserting, “You can’t even spell American without Rican. This is our country too.”
Trump’s previous appointments of three Supreme Court justices, who contributed to the overturning of federal abortion rights, have continued to resonate in discussions about women’s health and safety.
Harris linked Trump’s rhetoric to his overall approach to reproductive rights. While Trump often discusses safeguarding women from crime and foreign threats, his portrayal of the country as a place in decline starkly contrasts with Harris’s message of empowerment.
“I’m going to protect them from migrants coming in. I’m going to protect them from foreign countries that want to hit us with missiles and lots of other things,” Trump said at the Green Bay rally.
Before heading into a rally in Henderson, Nevada, Trump responded to billionaire Mark Cuban’s comments on ABC’s “The View,” where Cuban suggested that Trump does not surround himself with strong, intelligent women. Trump dismissed Cuban’s remarks as “very wrong,” labeling him a “fool” and a “MAJOR LOSER” in a post on social media.
Trump’s stance on abortion has been inconsistent, with past statements suggesting that women should face punishment for seeking abortions, while he has also highlighted the judicial appointments that led to the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Recently, he has indicated a willingness to veto a national abortion ban, advocating for state-level regulation instead.
The patchwork of state abortion laws has resulted in significant challenges for women seeking medical care, with reports of women experiencing dire health complications due to restrictive laws. Maternal and infant mortality rates have risen in this context, drawing attention to the implications of current policies.
As early voting progresses, data from analytics firm TargetSmart reveals that 1.2 million more women than men have voted in the seven battleground states, although this does not guarantee a shift in political power.
In the 2020 election, 55 percent of women supported the Democrats, indicating the potential for women’s votes to play a critical role in the upcoming election.
This article contains additional reporting from The Associated Press.