How the Trump campaign is attempting to counter the 2024 Democratic convention

Political parties traditionally don’t compete too much with each other’s conventions — usually the opposing presidential candidate holds few, if any, events. But this year, Trump’s campaign is rejecting that model, with the former president having one of his busiest schedules of the cycle during the Democratic convention. Lisa Desjardins joins Amna Nawaz to discuss the Trump campaign’s plans.
Amna Nawaz:
Meanwhile, political parties traditionally don’t compete too vigorously with each other’s conventions. Usually, the opposing presidential candidate holds few, if any, events.
This year, the Trump campaign is rejecting that model. During the Democratic Convention, the former president had one of the busiest campaign schedules of the cycle.
To discuss the Trump campaign’s plans and the view of the Democratic Convention, we’re joined now by Lisa Desjardins, who covers the Trump campaign for us.
So, Lisa, just take us through what exactly the Trump campaign is doing here, what messages they’re trying to send.
Lisa Desjardins:
Well, first try and imagine a blank map of the United States. That is what it usually looks like for the opposing presidential candidate in this convention.
Now let’s look at what’s happening with the Trump campaign this week. Here’s where the former president has been this week and then also here is where his vice presidential nominee has been.
Look at those states. Those are the key states that the teams are fighting for, both Republicans and Democrats, Arizona, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina, a state that we see Trump really wants to protect.
So you get from that map not only the important states, Amna, but also the fact that the Trump campaign and Trump campaign sources tell me they do feel like they need to step up their game. They also point out that they did not get the chance to directly rebut their opponent, Kamala Harris, at their convention because she was not yet the nominee.
So they feel like they have to hit the ground running as much as possible starting right now.
Amna Nawaz:
Lisa, as we have heard, the Harris campaign here is really centered on a message of freedom as central to their campaign. Has the Trump team now settled on any kind of campaign message to run against Vice President Harris?
Lisa Desjardins:
Those who have been listening to the Trump events this week have seen he’s tried out some different tactics, different messages, but sources around the Trump campaign and in Trump world tell me they think that that is kind of settling down into sort of a three point of attack.
The first was something that you reported on, Amna, this idea that Kamala Harris is liberal to the extreme. That nickname now that he’s settled on, it seems like comrade Kamala. Obviously, she is someone who is a part of a democratic republic. She is not a communist. But that is something that they’re going to try and tag her with.
The other two things are the biggest issues here, border and immigration. That’s where we saw the former president today, the other one, the economy. I think that this is really the most important one for the Trump campaign, and they know it.
One source told me that there is a race right now to define Kamala Harris on the economy, and they said, if Harris is able to project herself as a change agent, versus someone who is to blame for the economy, then it’s game over, that Republicans now and Trump himself need to define her as someone responsible for the problems, as she tries to define herself as someone who can solve them.
Amna Nawaz:
Lisa, even as the Trump campaign works to now push their own messages, what do we know about how the former president and his campaign team are reacting to what’s happening here at the Democratic Convention?
Are they watching these proceedings?
Lisa Desjardins:
They are absolutely watching.
In fact, vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance today talked about that on the trail, that he’s been watching. Now, what are they saying about it? They’re paying attention and saying that the Democrats are void of substance.
This goes to what Laura was saying about policy documents. They’re trying to say that they’re focused more on Trump. And he is keeping count of how many references he has there. They’re also noticing those Republican speakers, including Stephanie Grisham, who spoke Tuesday, former press secretary to Donald Trump.
Here’s what she said at the convention Tuesday.
Stephanie Grisham, Former White House Press Secretary:
I saw him when the cameras were off. Behind closed doors, Trump mocks his supporters. He calls them basement dwellers.
On a hospital visit one time, when people were dying in the ICU, he was mad that the cameras were not watching him. He has no empathy, no morals, and no fidelity to the truth.
Lisa Desjardins:
In response, Trump spokesman Steven Cheung wrote to me, wrote this statement: “Stephanie Grisham is a stone-cold loser who clearly suffers from Trump derangement syndrome and many other mental issues. She’s a liar and a fraud.”
That obviously a very strong statement. There isn’t really a Trump derangement syndrome. That’s a phrase that they’re using.
One last thing, Trump won’t just be watching tonight. He’s going to be live posting on social media. He put this out on TRUTH Social that he will do a live play-by-play.
Tonight, Amna, as you know, is Kamala Harris’ night. But Donald Trump does not like being out of the spotlight, and that’s how he will attempt to get back in it.
Amna Nawaz:
All right, that’s our Lisa Desjardins, who covers the Trump campaign for us.
Lisa, thank you.