Trump Slams Kamala Harris and Tim Walz for Running on a “Fake Record” at Montana Rally

Former President Donald Trump aimed at Vice President Kamala Harris and her newly announced running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, during a campaign rally in Montana on Friday.

Trump’s rally at Brick Breeden Fieldhouse in Bozeman, delayed by an hour and a half due to mechanical issues with his plane, was marked by his sharp criticism of his 2024 opponents.

Addressing the crowd, Trump, 78, criticized Harris for avoiding media interactions since she replaced President Biden at the top of the Democratic ticket. “So when you’re commander in chief, you don’t go to the run and hide away from the press,” Trump said. He accused Harris and Walz of presenting a “fake record,” elaborating that their achievements and credentials were misleading.

Walz, 60, has faced criticism for allegedly exaggerating his military service. Despite his claims of carrying weapons in wartime, Walz did not see combat during his 24-year tenure with the National Guard.

He retired in 2005 just as his unit prepared for deployment to Iraq.

Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, take a selfie in Glendale, Arizona, on Aug. 9, 2024. Getty Images

Trump also targeted Harris, 59, calling her “dumb” and suggesting that President Biden, 81, is more competent but lacks the courage to remove Harris from the ticket. “If you can’t do a press conference, you cannot be president,” Trump asserted.

The former president’s visit to Montana aimed to support Republican Senate candidate Tim Sheehy, who is in a competitive race against incumbent Democratic Senator Jon Tester. Trump criticized Tester, labelling him as a “radical” and a “terrible” senator, and mocked his physical appearance.

The 45th president’s visit to Big Sky Country, which included attending a fundraiser before the rally, was primarily to boost Republican Senate candidate Tim Sheehy. REUTERS

Tester is the sole Democratic member of Montana’s congressional delegation, with a Republican governor and GOP-controlled state legislature. Despite narrow victories in past elections, Tester faces a tough challenge this November.

Trump took the stage at Brick Breeden Fieldhouse in Bozeman an hour and a half later than advertised but wasted little time going after his 2024 opponent. Getty Images

A recent Emerson College Polling/The Hill survey shows Sheehy leading Tester by two percentage points, 48% to 46%.

Sheehy is in a tight race against incumbent Democratic Sen. Jon Tester. REUTERS

Sheehy, a former Navy SEAL, shared his motivation for running, citing dissatisfaction with President Biden’s handling of the withdrawal from Afghanistan. “Joe Biden abandoned them in Afghanistan. He left them behind, and he left billions of dollars of equipment,” Sheehy said, expressing his determination to change the political landscape.

Trump later called the vice president, 59, “dumb” and argued that President Biden, 81, is “smarter than she is, but the Democrats didn’t dare to force her off” the ticket. AP

Trump’s rally emphasized the importance of Montana’s Senate seat in the Republican strategy to gain control of the Senate, where Democrats currently hold a slim 51-49 majority.