President Donald Trump pushed back on a claim in former Vice President Kamala Harris’ new book that he privately lauded her during her 2024 concession phone call, telling her she was a “tough, smart customer.”
Not true, Trump says.
In fact, Harris was a disappointing presidential rival, according to Trump.
“Not that I know of,” Trump said in a Sunday morning TV interview posted to X when asked if he had called Harris “tough” and “smart.”
“But I was nice to her. I met her a couple of times and I was always nice to her.”
Harris was not complimentary of Trump on the campaign trail, often adopting much of former President Joe Biden’s hate-filled vitriol and rhetoric that denounced Trump as a “threat to democracy.”
But Trump, who has often rebuked the presidential election map as tough for Republicans and often too favorable – if not “rigged” – for Democrats, was shocked how poorly Harris did against him last November, noting she was far less of a “tough and smart” presidential election foe.
“I thought Kamala would have done a better job than she did in terms of running, because we really won by a lot,” Trump said.
“And I thought she would have done better.”
The New York Times, citing excerpts of Harris’ book, reported she recalled Trump telling her she was a “tough, smart customer” and praising her name while pledging to be respectful.
Harris also wrote she urged Trump to help unify the nation but believed it was “a lost cause.”
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