Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio said Wednesday that Vice President Kamala Harris doesn't care about American workers, as evidenced by her criticism of former President Donald Trump's tax and tariff policies that have depressed American worker wages, as well as the influx of illegal immigrants under the Biden-Harris administration.
Vance made his case at a news conference with union members on Wednesday morning.
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“The overwhelming support of our campaign from union members suggests that people are waking up to the fact that while Kamala Harris talks about standing up for workers, her policies are actually making it harder for workers to achieve the American Dream,” Vance said.
Vance then highlighted evidence that disputes the claim that “Kamala really cares about the working people of this country.”
He began by pointing out her criticism of President Trump's tariff plans to protect American jobs and wages and stop American companies from leaving the country.
“When she criticizes President Donald Trump's tariff policies, she says tariffs are the best tool we have to confront China and other countries that use slave labor to undercut wages for American workers,” he said.
Migrants traveling north toward the U.S. border walk along a highway through Suchiate, Chiapas, southern Mexico, on July 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Edgar H. Clemente)
“If we're not going to use tariffs to protect American workers, to protect their jobs, to protect American industries, then you don't have to guess what's going to happen. We've seen what's happened over the last 40 years,” Vance continued. “All of those industries and those jobs are going to Mexico and China and a bunch of other places, and they're not going to the American people.”
Vance stressed that many workers have lost their jobs “because Kamala Harris refuses to do what is necessary to protect American workers” and that they will have to train replacements.
“So I don’t think we should tolerate the idea that she supports working men and women. “She doesn't think so, and the proof is in her track record,” he said.
He then focused his attack on her over President Trump's tax policies.
“So what does a Kamala Harris tax policy look like when you combine her criticism of tariff policy with her criticism of tax policy? She's saying, 'We want to raise taxes.' Kamala Harris wants to raise taxes on American workers and she wants to reward companies that are shipping jobs overseas,” Vance said.
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“She subsidized green energy. [Electric Vehicle] “It mandates that we should be buying American-made cars made by American workers, but that hundreds of thousands of good auto jobs will move to China and other countries to make electric cars,” he added. “By contrast, Donald Trump's platform is very simple: cut taxes for American workers and give them more of their hard-earned money, but penalize the companies and countries that ship jobs overseas and undercut the wages of American workers.”
Vance cited the negative impact illegal immigration has on American wages and slammed Harris as “the candidate of illegal workers in this country.”
Vance stressed that the millions of illegal immigrants who have entered the country under her and President Joe Biden's watch are “in competition with American citizens.” OneIt is excluding foreign nationals and legal residents from essential jobs and cutting their wages in the process.”
“This man's policies run counter to the idea of representing the American worker,” Vance said. “The president who represents the American worker is Donald J. Trump, and I'm proud to stand with him and proud that a majority of Teamsters appear to support us.”
“The United Auto Workers and many other unions across the country will have a strong showing. I'm proud they're here to join us. We're going to work to make sure they get a fair bargain, good wages, and that the government fights to protect their jobs when Donald Trump returns to the White House,” he concluded.
