‘Unserious’ Trump re-election would have ‘brutally serious’ consequences, says Harris

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris warned Monday about the potential dangers if former President Donald Trump is re-elected, calling him “an unserious man” and warning of the “brutally serious” consequences for the nation and the world.

Speaking to supporters in Wisconsin, Harris highlighted the significance of the upcoming presidential election on Nov. 5, emphasizing that U.S. allies are closely watching the outcome. “The world is watching the Nov. 5 presidential election, and the US’s allies are worried,” she said.

Harris was sharply critical of Trump’s leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, pointing to an allegation that the former president secretly sent COVID tests to Russian President Vladimir Putin for personal use. “You remember what that was during that time. He secretly sent COVID tests to Putin for his personal use,” she told the crowd.

The vice president also criticized Trump’s recent statements on the Russia-Ukraine war, warning that his approach could lead to dire consequences for Ukraine and embolden Putin. “On the issue of Ukraine, he says, ‘Oh, well, I’d solve that in a day.’ Well, I don’t think we as Americans think that the president of the United States should solve an issue like that through surrender and understand that’s what would happen,” she said.

Harris further argued that Trump’s admiration for strongman leaders like Putin poses a direct threat to U.S. foreign policy and stability in Europe. “Vladimir Putin would be sitting in Kyiv if Donald Trump were president,” she underscored, adding that Trump “wants to please somebody that he considers to be a strong man who he admires.”

Trump, who maintains strong support within the Republican Party, recently touted his relationship with Putin, describing it as “very good.” He also declined to confirm whether he had spoken with Putin since leaving office in 2021, though he hinted it would be “a smart thing” if he had.

Journalist Bob Woodward, in a recent book, cited an unnamed aide claiming that Trump had spoken with Putin as many as seven times since his presidency ended. While a Biden administration official said they were unaware of any such calls, U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan acknowledged that it would “raise red flags if it were true.”