Former President Donald Trump has turned to Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democratic Congresswoman and Hindu-American leader, to assist him in preparing for his upcoming debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, as reported by the New York Times. Gabbard, who has developed a close relationship with Trump and even had her name floated as a potential running mate, participated in a practice session with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate.
The much-anticipated debate, scheduled for September 10 on ABC News, will see Trump face off against Harris, an Indian-American leader. Gabbard’s involvement in Trump’s preparation is particularly notable given her own impactful performance in a 2019 Democratic presidential primary debate, where she delivered a sharp critique of Harris, leaving a lasting impression.
Trump’s spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, confirmed Gabbard’s participation, emphasizing that Trump is already recognized as one of the best debaters in political history. Leavitt mentioned that although Trump doesn’t require traditional debate preparation, he continues to engage with respected policy advisers and effective communicators like Gabbard, who previously bested Harris on the debate stage in 2020.
Despite Trump’s public claims that he doesn’t need to prepare for debates, the former President has reportedly devoted more time to debate practice this year than he did during his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. However, his preparation remains untraditional, with no one stepping in to play the role of his opponents, such as Joe Biden in past sessions. Instead, Trump has engaged in informal discussions with advisers during flights and more structured sessions at Mar-a-Lago, where aides have acted as moderators.
Among those involved in his preparation, Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida was known for posing particularly challenging questions, while others, including Trump’s eventual running mate, Senator JD Vance of Ohio, have also provided input on policy matters. Trump’s debate prep for the September 10 encounter with Harris is expected to follow a similar pattern, drawing from his June debate experience with Biden, which saw the latter’s performance falter.
Gabbard’s involvement brings valuable attributes to Trump’s team: she’s a woman, which is significant as Trump faces a female opponent in the general election for the second time; she’s a former House member with policy experience; and crucially, she has previously confronted Harris on a debate stage, delivering a potent critique of Harris’s record as a prosecutor.
During the July 2019 debate, Gabbard accused Harris of jailing over 1,500 people for marijuana violations during her tenure as district attorney in San Francisco and then laughing about her own marijuana use. Gabbard also criticized Harris for allegedly obstructing evidence that could have freed an innocent man from death row, a decision Harris only reversed when compelled by the court.
In response, Harris defended her record, expressing pride in making tough decisions and emphasizing her work beyond just giving speeches. Despite Gabbard’s sharp attacks, Harris dismissed Gabbard’s low poll numbers after the debate. Both Harris and Gabbard eventually exited the 2020 presidential race, with Harris bowing out in December 2019 and Gabbard following in March 2020.
