Sarah Huckabee Sanders: God saved Trump from assassination attempt
In her speech at the Republican National Convention, Sarah Huckabee Sanders thanked God for saving former President Donald Trump from assassination attempt at his July 13, 2024 rally in Butler Township, Pennsylvania.
During a campaign rally for former President Donald Trump on Tuesday, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Vice President Kamala Harris was not modest because she did not have biological children.
The comments came during a town hall meeting moderated by the governor in Flint, Michigan. She initially joked that her children’s innocent remarks could humble her despite her prominent position.
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“When you walk into a room like this, where people are cheering when you walk on stage, you might think for a second that you’re special,” Sanders said. “Then you go home and the kids remind you very quickly that you’re not that big of a deal.”
She stuck to the theme of modesty before turning to the Democratic presidential candidate.
“So my children keep me humble,” she told the crowd, pausing for a few seconds. “Unfortunately, there’s nothing about Kamala Harris that keeps her humble.”
Harris has two stepchildren, Ella and Cole Emhoff, from her marriage to Doug Emhoff, and has often spoken about her role as stepmother, or, by her nickname, “Momala.” Kerstin Emhoff, the ex-wife of Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, has been a vocal supporter of Harris’ campaign and has repeatedly celebrated Harris’ role as stepmother to her two children.
“Kamala Harris has spent her entire career working for the people, for ALL families,” she wrote on X, formerly Twitter, in response to Sanders’ comments. “That’s pretty humbling.”
The crowd’s reaction was laughter and applause, but also some boos. However, it is unclear whether these were directed at Sanders’ comments or the mention of the opposing candidate.
Bryan Lanza, a senior Trump campaign adviser, sharply criticized the remark during a CNN panel shortly after the town hall meeting. His on-air comments suggest that some want to distance the party from backlash.
“I found that comment really offensive. I don’t know what else to say,” Lanza said. “I’m disappointed that Sarah said that. I’m sure I’ll get some criticism from the campaign, but I have to defend a stepmom in some way. It’s a tough job. People step into that role.”
Sanders’ outrageous comments are not unusual, as the governor is known for making bold claims and tackling “culture war” themes, particularly around gender issues. She has fought against the Biden administration’s IX updates and signed an executive order last year banning what she said was “woke, misogynistic” language in government. The order says the government should “reject language that ignores, undermines and erases women” and “celebrate — not erase — gender differences between men and women.”
The Trump campaign has drawn ire in recent weeks after a 2021 Fox News interview with vice presidential candidate JD Vance resurfaced in which he criticized Harris and other Democrats for not having biological children. He called them “childless cat ladies,” which sparked bipartisan condemnation and turned into a call to action by Harris supporters, reminiscent of how women used Trump’s “nasty women” attacks as a feminist slogan in his 2016 race against Hillary Clinton.
Kathryn Palmer is an elections writer for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X at @KathrynPlmr.
