During the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation charity dinner in New York, former President Donald Trump delivered a speech filled with sharp jabs at Vice President Kamala Harris and other prominent political figures.
Trump criticized Harris for skipping the event to campaign in Wisconsin, accusing her of disrespecting the Catholic community by not attending in person. “My opponent feels like she does not have to be here, which is deeply disrespectful to the event and to our great Catholic community,” Trump remarked to applause. He also mocked Harris’s intelligence and her well-known laugh, saying, “We need new leadership in this country.
Right now, we have someone in the White House who can barely put together two coherent sentences. But enough about Kamala Harris.”
Throughout his 30-minute speech, Trump continued to poke fun at Harris, even referencing her support for demonstrators arrested during the protests in response to George Floyd’s death in 2020. He also took aim at a grassroots group, “White Dudes for Harris,” joking that their wives and lovers were all voting for him instead.
Harris was not the only target of Trump’s humor. He directed barbs at Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who was seated near the podium, suggesting Schumer could become the first female president if Harris were to lose. Trump also expressed a mixed tone of support for New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who is facing federal corruption charges, while taking a harsher stance toward former Mayor Bill de Blasio, calling him “the worst mayor in New York’s history.”
Traditionally light-hearted roasts turns dark
The dinner, known for its tradition of light-hearted roasts, saw Trump delivering some jokes that did not land well, including a controversial jab at second gentleman Doug Emhoff’s past affair with a nanny. Despite the mixed reception, Trump maintained his characteristic brash style throughout the event. In contrast, Vice President Harris appeared via video, where comedian Molly Shannon, in her “Saturday Night Live” character Mary Katherine Gallagher, played a Catholic schoolgirl as part of the vice president’s message. Harris’s video speech focused on criticizing Trump’s election denialism and his remarks targeting Detroit. The annual Al Smith dinner, which brings together politicians from both parties, has historically been a platform for presidential candidates to share light-hearted jokes, though Trump’s 2016 speech attacking Hillary Clinton broke tradition. Thursday’s event marked another instance where Trump’s remarks sparked a range of reactions from attendees.
Reactions to the roast have been mixed, with some moments sparking controversy. At one point, Trump appeared visibly displeased with the script, reportedly calling the writers “idiots” and seemingly offering an apology during the event.
