Vice President Kamala Harris has rejected Donald Trump’s recent assertion that, if elected, he will serve as the “protector” of women.
During an MSNBC interview Wednesday, the Democratic nominee for president cited her rival’s pride about the overturning of Roe v. Wade—despite its negative consequences, as seen recently with the deaths of two women in Georgia.
When asked to react to Trump’s comment from Monday, Harris began her response by pointing to how Trump said in 2016 that “there has to be some form of punishment” for women who have abortions if the procedure was banned.
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Trump “said women should be punished for exercising a decision that they rightly should be able to make about their own body and their future,” Harris told anchor Stephanie Ruhle. “So I think we would all agree that as a result of that perspective that he has about women, he also then chose three members of the United States Supreme Court who did as he intended: undid the protections of Roe v. Wade.”
“Now, in state after state you see laws being passed that do punish women,” Harris continued, referencing how Georgia’s Republican state legislators have since made it a felony to perform a routine “dilation and curettage” procedure. Two women died as a result, ProPublica reported earlier this month.
“Heart-wrenching stories—and that’s for the listener, much less their family,” Harris said.
The family of one of those women, Amber Nicole Thurman, who left behind a 6-year-old boy, appeared at a Harris campaign event last week, where they and Harris agreed that Thurman’s death was preventable.
Harris concluded that the protection pledge from Trump, who was found liable for sexual abuse last year, didn’t amount to much at all.
“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.
“Can we trust you?” Ruhle asked.
“Yes,” Harris replied. “I’m not perfect, but I will tell you: I’m always going to put the needs of the people first.”
