Donald Trump told reporters at a press conference that he had once been involved in a helicopter emergency landing with former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, but Mr. Brown denied any knowledge of the incident. When asked if Republican assertions that Brown was responsible for getting Kamala Harris’s career underway, the former President stated that he knew Willie Brown well before recounting the helicopter story.
Willie Brown, however, later told reporters, “I’ve never been in a helicopter with him in my life.” The former San Francisco Mayor went on to accuse Donald Trump of “trying his best to get some way to degrade Kamala.”
In his latest move, Mr. Trump has accused Vice President Harris of using artificial intelligence to manufacture crowds at her events. Around 15,000 people gathered at a Michigan airport as Harris’s plane landed, but Trump insisted she had “cheated” and used computer technology to fabricate the image. The Harris campaign appeared to mock the former President as several media outlets confirmed the photo’s authenticity.
Former Republican primary candidate and staunch Trump supporter Vivek Ramaswamy urged the former President to back down on the accusation, saying it was clear the photo was not generated by artificial intelligence. Ramaswamy tweeted that Mr. Trump must find better advisers who prevent him from making controversial and unsubstantiated social media claims.
In March, Trump supporters stood accused of creating AI images ostensibly showing the former President surrounded by black voters. The photos were shared online and prompted a response from the Black Votes Matter group, who said Mr. Trump was using “disinformation” to target black voters.
Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris is soaring ahead in the polls. An Ipsos survey places her ahead by 42% to 37% nationally, while others see her leading in crucial battleground states. Combined polling for Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania place Harris in the lead by 50% to 46%. Additionally, a Financial Times survey shows that 42% of Americans trust Harris with the economy, compared to 41% who prefer Trump.
GOP pollsters insist, however, that the polls understate Trump’s support and are published with the “clear intent and purpose of depressing support for President Trump.”
