Harris dismisses Trump as ‘not serious’ on economy in MSNBC interview

Vice President Kamala Harris arrives to board Air Force Two, at the 171st Air Refueling Wing, Sept. 25, 2024, in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, upon returning to Washington after a speech on the economy in Pittsburgh. | Jacquelyn Martin/AP

Vice President Kamala Harris used her first major solo interview to push her economic message and take a dig at Donald Trump, while the Democratic presidential nominee this week exposed some of her biggest vulnerabilities.

Harris’ conversation with MSNBC’s Stephanie Ruhle followed an economics speech in Pittsburgh on Wednesday, part of her effort to reverse Trump’s lead among voters on the economy. She used the speech to add layers to an economic plan that Republicans have criticized as thin, promising to eliminate degree requirements for federal jobs, double union apprenticeships in her first term and overhaul permitting to speed up construction projects.

The sitdown built on Harris’ message as voters across the country continue to voice concerns about high prices. But it also gave her an opportunity to attack Trump on economic issues, including tariffs, a policy tool the former president has cast as a solution to problems ranging from high prices to war to the cost of child care.

“Well, part of it is you don’t throw the idea of ​​tariffs around,” Harris said. “That’s part of the problem with Donald Trump. Frankly, I’m going to — and I say this in all sincerity — he’s not serious about how he thinks about some of these issues. And you have to be serious and have a plan and a real plan that’s not just about a talk that ends in an exclamation point at a political rally.”

The campaign’s decision to select Ruhle — a friendly interviewer for Harris — for the first national, solo sit-down has drawn criticism. But Ruhle was also an advantageous choice for Harris. The MSNBC host’s deep expertise in economics provided the vice president with a platform to answer questions about her economic agenda as she seeks to contrast her opponent and boost voters’ confidence on economic issues.

“Not everyone gets things handed to them on a silver platter. My vision for the economy — I call it an opportunity economy — is to make sure that all Americans, no matter where they start, no matter where they are, have the opportunity to actually achieve those dreams and aspirations,” Harris said.

In response to one of the more challenging questions — about the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which refused to endorse her last week — Harris dodged twice. The lack of support was a blow to the vice president’s campaign, which is trying to maintain the union support that won President Joe Biden in 2020. The powerful union also draws on working-class voters in swing states who could be critical of Harris in November, and the lack of consensus among its more than 1 million members has unnerved some Democrats.

“I’m proud to have the support of the steelworkers and almost every other major union in America because I stand with workers,” Harris said. “And I stand with the importance of union membership and understanding the benefits and the value of unions. And I understand the importance of investing in new industries and actively working with the private sector to grow our economy.”

Harris was also asked to respond to Trump’s efforts to appeal to women in recent weeks as he tries to repair the damage with the voting bloc. The vice president criticized Trump for his role in overturning Roe vs. Wadeand spoke about the implications of the Supreme Court ruling: “I don’t think the women of America need him to say he’s going to protect them. The women of America need him to trust them,” Harris said.

But it’s Harris’ own weaknesses she’s focused on this week. After a day focused on the economy, she’s turning her attention to her second biggest vulnerability and one of Trump’s favorite lines of attack: immigration.

Harris will travel to Douglas, Arizona, on Friday, where she will stop at the southern border. Border crossings are lower than they were during Trump’s final month in office and have plummeted since Biden ended asylum in June. The vice president will use the visit to talk about border security, criticizing Trump for his role in killing the bipartisan border deal earlier this year, according to a campaign aide who spoke on condition of anonymity to speak freely about a trip that is still in the planning stages.

She will also highlight her background as California’s attorney general and her work on international gangs and criminal organizations that trafficked people, guns and drugs — a part of her biography she has repeatedly touted on the trail. Harris is also expected to talk about building a “safe, fair, orderly and humane” immigration system, drawing a contrast with Trump’s rhetoric and immigration policies, the official said.

During Wednesday’s interview, Harris again vowed to reintroduce and sign the border bill.

“And we need a comprehensive plan that includes what we need to do to not only strengthen our borders, but also address the fact that we also need to create pathways for people to gain citizenship,” she said.