Wilbur Ross, a former Commerce Secretary under the Trump administration, warned the former president against “getting too big and powerful” in his upcoming debate with Vice President Harris.
“The only danger is that Trump is big, strong and manly,” Ross told radio host John Catsmathidis on WABC 770 AM's “The Cats Roundtable.”
“He has to be careful not to be seen as pressuring women. People don't like to see women being overly pressured,” he continued.
Ross's comments came in response to the September 10 debate between Harris and Trump on ABC News, which will be the first time the two candidates will face off live in front of the cameras since the last presidential debate, which blocked President Biden's reelection bid.
There has been much discussion about the upcoming event, with campaign officials sparring this week over whether to mute microphones when their opponents are speaking, and questions raised about whether Trump will attend at all.
Harris' campaign has asked for microphones to be kept on throughout the debate, arguing that this could result in viewers seeing Trump interrupt the vice president.
The debate will be a key moment for both sides: the first opportunity for Harris to present a policy platform to voters and a chance to challenge Trump as he gains ground in national opinion polls.
Ross suggested the debate should be less theatrical and more about real issues “that people are really worried about,” such as inflation, foreign affairs and the southern border.
The Trump campaign has sought to attack Ms. Harris for a perceived policy shift since she entered the 2020 Democratic presidential primary. “My values haven't changed,” Ms. Harris said in an interview this week.
“I think he needs to force her to find out where he stands on these issues and bring her into a real debate,” Ross said. “If he sticks to these issues, I think he'll do well.”
