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Kamala Harris accuses Trump of 'wholesale abandonment' of American ideals
Former Vice President Kamala Harris used a high-profile speech Wednesday to sharply criticise President Donald Trump amid speculation about whether she will mount another presidential campaign or opt to run for California governor.
Harris addressed the 20th anniversary gala for Emerge America, an organization that recruits and trains Democratic women to run for office that grew in part from Harris' run for San Francisco district attorney in the early 2000s.
Her speech came the day after Trump reached 100 days in office. It is expected to be her most extensive public remarks since leaving office in January following her defeat to Trump, with planned critiques of the Republican president's handling of the economy, US institutions and foreign policy.
Instead of an administration working to advance America's highest ideals, we are witnessing the wholesale abandonment of those ideals, Harris said.
Before Wednesday, Harris had barely mentioned Trump by name since she conceded defeat to him in November, but she recently addressed the anxiety and confusion that have gripped many of her supporters since Trump took office.
Fear has a way of being contagious, and we are witnessing that, no doubt, she said at the Leading Women Defined Summit in early April, a forum for Black women leaders.
But courage is also contagious, she added, urging her audience to speak out against Trump. The current moment highlights the power of kindness, the power of sisterhood, the power of self care.
The speech was delivered below luminous chandeliers in a gold-trimmed ballroom in the landmark Palace Hotel in downtown.
Trump went after Harris in a campaign-style rally Tuesday marking his 100th day in office. He sarcastically called her a great border czar" and a great candidate," and repeated some of the applause lines he routinely delivered during the campaign.
Until Harris replaced Joe Biden atop the Democratic ticket last summer, Trump said, I knew nothing about her."
Harris is ramping up her public presence as Democrats nationally search for a path forward after November's election, in which Republicans also won control of Congress. While a slate of high-profile Democrats from governors to businessmen seek leadership roles within the party, the former vice president retains unique influence and would reshape any future race she chooses to enter.
Harris, a former state attorney general and US senator from California, has not discouraged speculation that she might enter the race to replace term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom, himself a potential contender for president. And she has not ruled out another run for the White House.
She continues to fundraise, using a joint committee that includes Harris for President, the Democratic National Committee and state Democratic parties. The committee, the Harris Victory Fund, reported having about $4.5 million on hand at the end of March, according to federal records.
In recent fundraising emails, Harris has been blunt about the need for Democrats to unify ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Democrats need to organise and stop Trump's agenda while electing Democrats everywhere, she wrote in recent emails. There has never been a more important time for a strong Democratic Party one that is willing to stand up to Donald Trump, Elon Musk and what they are doing to this country.
The event marks a homecoming of sorts. Harris lives in Los Angeles but she is from the San Francisco Bay Area, where her political career is rooted. For her first major speech since the election, she chose familiar terrain and a friendly, in some ways familial, crowd.
Lisa Gotbhi, a health care executive in San Francisco, said Harris' loss last year was a shock," but she's a voice we need and a leader we need. Let's get back in the fight.
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Business Standard
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Los Angeles immigration raids: What's happening & how Indians can stay safe
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Protesters quickly gathered at these sites and detention centres. "ICE out of Paramount. We see you for what you are," a protester shouted through a megaphone. Authorities declared several unlawful assemblies and made arrests. Paramount Mayor Peggy Lemons told reporters, "When you handle things the way that this appears to be handled, it's not a surprise that chaos would follow." Paramount is a city located in southeastern Los Angeles County, California. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass also condemned the operations. "These tactics sow terror in our communities and disrupt basic principles of safety in our city. We will not stand for this." Who was detained The Department of Homeland Security said ICE arrested 118 immigrants this week, including 44 on Friday alone. Among those detained were five individuals said to be linked to criminal organisations. Eight American citizens were also arrested in Paramount for obstruction. David Huerta, regional president of the Service Employees International Union, was among those arrested during the protests. He was held at the Metropolitan Detention Centre. California Representative Nanette Barragan warned that enforcement operations would continue daily for the next 30 days. ICE said on Sunday: 'The men and women of ICE work every day, putting their lives on the line, to protect and defend the lives of American citizens. Secretary Kristi Noem is empowering ICE to continue removing the worst of the worst from American communities.' How many undocumented migrants live in the US The number of unauthorised immigrants in the United States is estimated between 10 and 13 million. Pew Research Centre's latest data puts the 2022 figure at 11 million, while the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) estimated 13.7 million in mid-2023. Encounters at the US border reached record levels in 2022–23, and asylum claim backlogs increased by around 1 million cases. 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Federal response and political clash Trump justified the deployment of the National Guard as necessary to restore "law and order," accusing California leaders of failing to control unrest. In a Truth Social post, Trump wrote, "If Governor Gavin Newscum, of California, and Mayor Karen Bass, of Los Angeles, can't do their jobs... the Federal Government will step in and solve the problem, RIOTS & LOOTERS, the way it should be solved!!!" He has accused California of becoming a safe haven for unauthorised migrants, calling the city "invaded" by "illegal aliens and criminals". Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said active-duty Marines could also be deployed if violence continued. Trump used his Title 10 authority to federalise the National Guard, bypassing state approval. Governor Gavin Newsom formally requested the withdrawal of federal troops, saying their presence is "inflaming tensions". 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Time of India
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Shoppers are wary of digital shelf labels, but a study found they don't lead to price surges
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