At a campaign rally in St. Cloud, Minnesota, former President Donald Trump rattled off several criticisms of Vice President Kamala Harris, his presumptive opponent in the presidential race. But some of Trump’s attacks ran afoul of the facts.
- Trump falsely claimed that Harris voted to “cut Medicare by $237 billion” and “betrayed American seniors.” The legislation allows Medicare to negotiate drug prices and reduces costs for some seniors.
- He pointed to Harris’ support in early 2019 for Medicare for All, saying she “endorsed outlawing private health insurance entirely.” Harris also proposed a plan later that year that included private insurance, but regardless, she isn’t supporting Medicare for All now.
- Trump claimed that Harris “said that a 80% tax rate is a bold idea that should be discussed.” Harris didn’t endorse that rate. Instead, she said a Democratic lawmaker’s ideas, which included a rate that high for people making more than $10 million a year, “should be discussed,” adding that “when we are able to defend the status quo, then do it.”
- Trump said Harris “just turned him free,” referring to Shawn Tillman, who committed murder in 2022, weeks after he was bailed out of jail by a nonprofit Harris promoted on social media in 2020. But it was not her decision to release Tillman, nor was he someone she sought to help get out of jail.
- He distorted the facts in claiming that Harris, a former prosecutor, “couldn’t pass her bar exam” to become a licensed lawyer. She did pass California’s bar exam on her second attempt.
- Trump claimed that Harris previously “supported mandatory gun confiscation,” without mentioning that she talked about having a mandatory buyback program only for so-called assault weapons. Harris’ campaign told us she is no longer pushing a buyback program.
- The former president said Harris “called for slashing consumption of red meat to fight climate change.” Harris once said she supported encouraging and incentivizing Americans to eat better, but she did not say she would restrict how much red meat is consumed.
- He claimed Harris’ votes “created the worst inflation in half a century.” Economists say the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic is primarily to blame.
- He wrongly said inflation was the worst “we’ve ever had” under this administration. The worst was in 1919-1920.
- Trump falsely said Harris supported abortion “even after birth,” and he wrongly said “all legal scholars” wanted the issue of abortion rights to be returned to the states.
- He baselessly said that Harris would let “40 to 50 million more people in our country,” referring to illegal immigration, and added that it would “kill Social Security and Medicare.” Those concocted figures aside, workers who aren’t authorized to be in the country can’t receive the benefits of those retirement programs.
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