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According to a New York Times report, former President Donald Trump is gearing up for his debate with US Vice President Kamala Harris by seeking assistance from former Democratic Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard to sharpen his strategies and critiques. The report, which cites sources familiar with Trump’s schedule, notes that Gabbard participated in a practice session with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate. The debate between Trump and Harris is set to air on ABC News on September 10.
Gabbard, who left the Democratic Party after her 2020 presidential campaign and has since become a prominent figure among Trump’s supporters, has maintained a friendly relationship with him. At one point, she was even rumored to be considered as his potential running mate. Her involvement in Trump’s debate preparation is partly attributed to her notable performance during a 2019 Democratic presidential primary debate, where she delivered a sharp critique of Harris.
Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for Trump, confirmed Gabbard’s participation in an email, as reported by the New York Times. Leavitt stated that Trump has “proven to be one of the best debaters in political history, as shown by his decisive victory over Joe Biden. He doesn’t require traditional debate preparation but continues to meet with respected policy advisers and effective communicators like Tulsi Gabbard, who successfully dominated Kamala Harris on the debate stage in 2020.”
Despite claiming he doesn’t need to prepare for debates, Trump has reportedly spent more time this year practicing for debates than he did in 2016 or 2020, according to advisers who have worked with him. However, his preparation has not followed traditional methods, as no one played Biden in his sessions before their CNN debate on June 27.
Before his CNN debate with President Biden in June, Trump dedicated significant time to discussing potential topics and questions with his advisers, both in lengthy sessions and during informal discussions on plane trips. During formal practice sessions at Mar-a-Lago, his aides acted as moderators, asking challenging questions, with Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida and other lawmakers, including his eventual running mate, Senator JD Vance of Ohio, engaging with Trump on policy issues.
Biden’s hesitant and disorganized performance during the June debate with Trump eventually led to his withdrawal from the race. Trump’s aides are expected to adopt a similar approach for his upcoming debate with Harris on September 10, according to the New York Times.
Gabbard’s role is particularly notable as she brings several key attributes to Trump’s preparation: she’s a woman, which is significant as Trump faces a female opponent in the general election for the second time; she has policy experience as a former House member; and most crucially for Trump, she has debated Harris before and delivered a scathing critique of her record as a prosecutor, as reported by the New York Times.
