In a sharp address on Tuesday, Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris took aim at her Republican opponent, Donald Trump, accusing him of intending to enforce strict abortion policies and monitor pregnancies across US states. Speaking at the same location where Trump encouraged his followers to protest on January 6, 2021, Harris alleged that Trump would enact a nationwide abortion ban, restrict access to birth control, and put fertility treatments such as IVF at risk.
Harris encouraged the public to investigate the Heritage Foundation’s “Project 2025”, a policy roadmap from a conservative think tank, which she claimed outlines restrictive reproductive policies for the next Republican administration. While “Project 2025” includes proposals for states to report on abortion numbers, there is no evidence linking Trump directly to an intent to monitor pregnancies. Trump has distanced himself from the document, saying, “I know nothing about Project 2025. I have no idea who is behind it.”
The Vice President further stressed her commitment to protecting abortion rights, declaring her belief in Americans’ freedom to make their own health decisions. Harris assured voters that, if Congress reinstates the national abortion protections outlined in Roe v. Wade, she would sign the bill into law “proudly.”
Framing the 2024 Election as a Choice for America’s Future
Harris opened her speech by positioning the election as a decisive moment between “freedom for every American” and governance by “chaos and division.” She criticized Trump as a figure of instability, recalling his role in the January 6 Capitol riots. Harris claimed Trump harbors a list of political adversaries he plans to prosecute if elected, along with plans to pardon the “violent extremists” involved in the Capitol assault, whom she noted he labeled as “the enemy from within.”
Describing Trump as “unstable, obsessed with revenge, and out for unchecked power,” Harris warned that his second term would threaten democratic freedoms. “America, this is not a candidate for president who is thinking about how to make your life better,” she stated. “This is someone who would use the military against American citizens who disagree with him.”
A Vision for a New Generation of Leadership
In contrast to Trump, Harris presented herself as a unifier, committed to serving all Americans and “turning the page on drama and division.” She invoked America’s history of resistance to tyranny, linking the 2024 election to the nation’s struggle for independence from “a petty tyrant” in 1776. Harris cited World War II soldiers and Civil Rights leaders as symbols of Americans who fought to preserve democracy.
Positioning herself as a candidate for “all Americans,” she pledged to prioritize country over party and to lead with transparency, truthfulness, and a commitment to consensus. Harris reiterated her promise to protect the rights of all, including hard-working immigrants. With a bipartisan approach, she said she would back a comprehensive border security bill to provide support to Border Patrol and secure an earned path to citizenship for immigrants, including Dreamers and farm workers.
As she wrapped up her address, Harris encouraged voters to “fight for this beautiful country we love.” She told the audience, “Each of you has the power to turn the page and write the next chapter in the most extraordinary story ever told.”
Following Harris’ address, Trump’s campaign responded with sharp criticism, accusing her of “lying, name-calling, and clinging to the past.” Trump’s press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, blamed Harris for rising migrant crime, inflation, and global tensions, attributing these issues to her and President Joe Biden’s policies.
