WASHINGTON — On Monday, Vice President Kamala Harris criticized the atmosphere at Donald Trump’s recent rally at Madison Square Garden, asserting that the negativity and hostility displayed there do not align with the hopes and dreams of the American populace. Instead, she argued that it serves to further the divides within the nation.

During the event, various speakers unleashed hurtful and racist comments, which Harris said underscored a point she has reiterated throughout her campaign. She emphasized that Trump’s approach appears centered on his personal grievances and a desire to create further division rather than encouraging unity or strengthening the American community and workforce. Harris made these remarks while en route to Michigan, where she is actively campaigning with just eight days remaining before the November 5 election.

Harris expressed her intention to highlight the contrasts between her candidacy and Trump’s in a significant campaign address scheduled for Tuesday evening on the Ellipse, situated near the White House. This location is notably where Trump, in 2021, urged his supporters to march to the Capitol, leading to the infamous riots aimed at disrupting the electoral process following his defeat to Joe Biden.

In her critique, Harris stated, “What he did last night is not a breakthrough. It reflects a pattern that is all too familiar, perhaps now more pronounced than ever. Donald Trump dedicates his efforts to inciting animosity among Americans, igniting the flames of hate and division, and it’s this behavior that has led to widespread fatigue among the populace.”

Moreover, Trump’s campaign has tried to distance itself from some of the inflammatory rhetoric that emerged during the rally, including a speaker who made derogatory remarks about Puerto Rico, labeling it a “floating island of garbage.”