Former President Donald Trump has recruited former Democratic Representative Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii to assist in preparing for his upcoming debate against Vice President Kamala Harris.
According to a report from The New York Times, Gabbard recently participated in a strategy session with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate. The session anticipated Trump’s September debate against Harris, the Democratic nominee.
At 43, Gabbard brings experience from her time as a Democratic presidential candidate in 2019, where she engaged directly with Harris, delivering a sharp critique of the then-California senator’s record as the state’s top prosecutor.
Gabbard, who was once considered for Trump’s potential running mate, is now helping the 78-year-old former president, known for his unconventional approach to debate preparation. A spokeswoman for the Trump campaign, Karoline Leavitt, praised Trump’s debating skills, citing his performance against President Joe Biden.
He noted that while Trump doesn’t rely on traditional debate prep, he values input from effective communicators like Gabbard.
During a July 2019 Democratic primary debate, Gabbard launched a pointed attack on Harris’s tenure as California’s attorney general, accusing her of harsh actions, including incarcerating over 1,500 people for marijuana-related offences and withholding evidence that could have exonerated a death row inmate.
In a later debate, Harris questioned Gabbard’s foreign policy positions and criticisms of the Democratic Party, suggesting they rendered her unfit to be the party’s nominee.
Gabbard countered by arguing that the Democratic Party had strayed from its roots and was overly influenced by establishment figures like Hillary Clinton.
Trump’s campaign approved Gabbard’s debate performance, even retweeting a clip of her exchange with Harris. Harris ended her presidential campaign shortly after that debate in November 2019, while Gabbard suspended her campaign in March 2020.
The much-anticipated debate between Trump and Harris is scheduled in Philadelphia on September 10, with ABC set to broadcast the event.
