Washington DC: Gearing up for his debate with US Vice President Kamala Harris, former President Donald Trump, and has brought in the former Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard to help sharpen his attacks, the New York Times reported citing two people aware with Trump’s schedule.
She joined Trump’s practice session at the latter’s private club and home, Mar-a-Lago. Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are set to face off in the ABC News debate on September 10.
Gabbard, who left the Democratic Party after her 2020 presidential run and has rebranded herself as a celebrity among Trump’s base of support, has long been friendly with Trump and was also speculated to be his running mate for some time.
Garbbard’s involvement in Trump’s debate preparation, was partly because of her own performance in a 2019 Democratic presidential primary debate, when Gabbard eviscerated Harris in a memorable onstage encounter.
Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for Trump, confirmed Gabbard’s involvement in an email, NYT reported.
Leavitt said the former president has “proven to be one of the best debaters in political history as evidenced by his knockout blow to Joe Biden. He does not need traditional debate prep but will continue to meet with respected policy advisers and effective communicators like Tulsi Gabbard, who successfully dominated Kamala Harris on the debate stage in 2020.”
Though Trump says he “doesn’t need to” prepare for debates, the former President has spent more time this year practicing for debates than he did in either 2016 or 2020, the New York Times reported citing advisers who have worked with him.
He still doesn’t do traditional debate prep. Nobody played Mr. Biden in his sessions ahead of their CNN debate on June 27.
Ahead of his CNN debate with Biden in June, Trump sat with advisers for blocks of time or informally on plane trips and discussed potential topics and lines of questioning. In more formal sessions at Mar-a-Lago, aides have sat in chairs opposite him, playing the role of moderators.
Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida asked especially combative questions, according to a person who was in the room. Other lawmakers, including his eventual running mate, Senator JD Vance of Ohio, have also spent time with Trump on policy topics. (IANS)
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