Former President Trump said Friday he was “surprised” that Vice President Kamala Harris was absent from the 79th Annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Banquet, calling it a “terrible” decision by the Democratic candidate.
“I thought it was great, you know, it was for the Catholic Church… there were a lot of good people, a lot of good causes, and unusually she didn't show up. She showed up last night. '' President Trump said during a studio appearance on “Fox & Friends.''
Trump added: “We were all surprised.”
Trump attacks Harris during keynote speech at Al Smith Dinner, vows to fix America's 'deeply wrong'
Former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump raises his fist while attending the 79th Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Annual Dinner held at the Hilton Midtown in New York on October 17, 2024. First Lady Melania Trump. (Getty Images)
The Al Smith Dinner began in 1946 and has raised millions of dollars for charities supporting women and children. Since then, it has grown as a political and cultural feature of the election season, but Harris typically skips bipartisan political events that add a bit of levity to the campaign trail each presidential election cycle, and many surprised people.
“I think it was terrible that she missed it, because … the only one in many years who missed it was Walter Mondale, and he lost 49-1,” Trump said in 1984, when the Democratic Party won his He spoke, referring to the fact that he won only one state in the election. A lopsided defeat.
“Fox & Friends” co-host Brian Kilmeade asked Trump why Harris was absent from the event, which historically includes candidates from both parties.
“I don't think she's capable. I hate to say this, but I can't tolerate this,” Trump said.
“I don't think she's funny,” he added. “We can't have her as president. She's a Marxist. We're not ready for a Marxist.”
Montage: President Trump cracks jokes at New York City's Al Smith Dinner
Former President Trump said Friday that he was “surprised” that Vice President Kamala Harris was absent from the 79th Annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Banquet. (Getty Images)
Trump also mocked Harris' decision while speaking at the event.
“I have to say I was shocked when I heard that Kamala would be absent from Al Smith's dinner. I really wanted her to come, because I'll never get tired of hearing her beautiful laugh. laughs like crazy,” Trump joked. .
“If you really wanted Vice President Harris to accept your invitation, I think you should have told her that the money was going to help out the looters and rioters in Minneapolis. That way she would have been guaranteed to come here. She would have been guaranteed,'' Trump also quipped, citing Harris' push to create a bail fund during the 2020 riots.
The dinner was named after Al Smith, the 42nd governor of New York and the first Catholic presidential candidate. He ran for president as a Democrat in 1928. Harris' disdain for the historic Catholic charity event drew ire from the banquet's host, New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan, on his podcast earlier this week.
Comedian Jim Gaffigan takes a surprising swipe at Harris for missing Catholic Met Gala
“Sadly Kamala Harris isn't going to be here, so it's going to be unbalanced this year,” Dolan said on Tuesday's podcast. “This is unfortunate because the essence of the night is to bring people together. The essence of the night is civility, patriotism and humor. This is not a campaign speech. This is not a campaign stop.”
Other participants at the event included Attorney General Letitia James, an outspoken critic of President Trump who denounced Trump as a “fraud” during his 2018 campaign for a state representative, and former New York City Mayor Bill They include de Blasio, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the governor and others. Kathy Hochul and others.
Fox News Digital did not respond to a request for comment from the Harris campaign about the pre-recorded video message it sent for the event. The campaign previously told Fox News that Harris would be absent from Thursday's event to focus on campaigning in the battleground state of Wisconsin.
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