by Former President Donald Trump delivered fiery remarks during two campaign rallies in Pennsylvania on Wednesday, targeting Vice President Kamala Harris, various women, and his critics while dismissing concerns that his rhetoric might alienate voters. Speaking in Scranton, a pivotal battleground, Trump made it clear that he had no intention of moderating his tone, even if it cost him support.
“I don’t want to be nice,” Trump declared to his audience. “You know, someone told me, ‘You should be nicer. Women don’t like that.’ And I said, ‘I don’t care.’” Despite polling data showing that women generally view him more negatively than men, Trump brushed off the concern, claiming, “Women want to see our country back. They don’t care.”
His remarks came on the same day that both Trump and Harris held campaign events, even as Hurricane Milton threatened parts of Florida’s Gulf Coast with potentially catastrophic damage. While Harris attended a White House briefing with President Joe Biden to discuss the storm response before heading to Nevada for campaign stops, Trump used his Pennsylvania appearances to launch personal attacks on Harris and others.
During the Scranton event, Trump labeled Harris “disgustingly incompetent” and “unfit to be president of the United States.” He also criticized Sunny Hostin, co-host of ABC’s The View, where Harris had appeared earlier in the week. Trump called Hostin, who is Black and Hispanic, “dumber than Kamala” and dismissed her as “a foolish woman.” The comment came after Hostin asked Harris if she would have done anything differently than Biden over the past four years, to which Harris replied, “I can’t think of anything.”
Later, at a rally in Reading, Trump targeted another co-host of The View, Whoopi Goldberg. He derided Goldberg as “crazy” and “foul,” describing her remarks as “disgustingly dirty” and labeling her “a complete loser.” These personal attacks were part of a broader effort by Trump and his campaign to portray Harris as a continuation of what they argue is Biden’s failed presidency.
Trump also used Harris’ defense of Biden to list what he called the administration’s failures, including the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, the ongoing war in Ukraine, and other crises he attributed to poor leadership. “People realize she’s a stupid person,” Trump said during the Reading rally. “And we cannot have another stupid president.”
In addition to criticizing Harris, Trump attacked the Biden administration’s handling of Hurricane Helena, which recently devastated parts of the southeastern United States. “This administration has done a terrible job. Absolutely terrible,” he said. “We’re praying for everyone affected. We hope God is watching over them.”
Meanwhile, Harris’ campaign team fired back, mocking Trump for the number of empty seats in the Reading rally venue, a jab at a sensitive topic for the former president. Despite the criticism, Trump remained focused on rallying his supporters, emphasizing the importance of Pennsylvania in the upcoming election. “If we win Pennsylvania, we win everything,” he said.
Trump also urged voters to take advantage of early voting options, though Pennsylvania’s system is more limited compared to other states. “When the polls open tomorrow, don’t wait. Go now. Leave as soon as possible,” he told the crowd in Scranton. While Pennsylvanians can fill out mail-in ballots at local election offices, the state does not offer in-person early voting, leaving counties to individually manage when ballots become available.
As the presidential race intensifies, Pennsylvania remains a critical swing state, and Trump’s rhetoric underscores his strategy of energizing his base while disregarding concerns about broader appeal. Both campaigns are expected to continue targeting the state heavily in the weeks leading up to the election.
