Vice President Kamala Harris was again criticised after being accused of using a “fake accent” during her Tuesday night appearance on CBS’s The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
The criticism erupted after Harris seemingly adopted a Jamaican patois while discussing former President Donald Trump’s response to Hurricane Helene and his criticism of FEMA.
During the interview, Harris questioned Trump’s empathy: “Have you no empathy, man? You know? For the suffering of other people. Have you no sense of purpose?” Critics quickly latched onto her use of the phrase “you know,” accusing her of briefly adopting a Jamaican accent.
Conservative commentators were quick to mock Harris on social media. Collin Rugg, a commentator on X (formerly Twitter), shared a clip of the moment, writing, “JUST IN: Kamala Harris unveils a ‘new’ Jamaican accent as she discusses the importance of empathy.”
Savanah Hernandez, another conservative voice, said, “Wake up babe, new Kamala Harris accent just dropped.” At the same time, user Johnny Maga remarked, “Holy smokes, Kamala just whipped out a Jamaican accent on Stephen Colbert.”
Other online users likened Harris’s tone to the legendary Jamaican musician Bob Marley. One user tweeted a meme of Harris wearing Marley’s signature beanie: “Obsessed with Jamaican Kamala.”
The incident during her Colbert interview is the latest instance in which the vice president has been accused of altering her accent.
Last month, Harris was ridiculed for adopting what some perceived as a Southern accent while speaking to a group of teacher union members in Michigan on September 2. Then, on September 14, she was again criticised for allegedly shifting her tone during a Congressional Black Caucus Foundation speech.
Harris has often faced criticism for what some see as pandering to different audiences, particularly when addressing predominantly Black crowds. Her ability to code-switch—altering her speech patterns depending on the context—has drawn both praise and backlash, with some questioning the authenticity behind the shifts.
During the late-night show, Harris also shared a light-hearted moment, cracking open a can of Miller High Life and taking a sip, further adding to the relaxed tone of the appearance. Despite the humorous nature of the interview, the vice president’s apparent accent change once again sparked online debate, continuing a trend of scrutiny over her public speaking style.
