Internet roasts Kamala Harris after VP accuses Trump of 'gaslighting' on abortion in Arizona address

TUCSON, ARIZONA: In a fervent campaign address in Tucson, Arizona, Vice President Kamala Harris took aim at former President Donald Trump's recent statements on abortion, cautioning against the potential ramifications of another Trump presidency.

Harris's remarks came just days after the Arizona Supreme Court's decision to uphold an 1864 law rendering abortion a felony in the state under most circumstances.

Kamala Harris challenged Trump's assertions

During her speech, Harris directly confronted Trump's recent assertion that abortion laws should be determined by individual states, suggesting he would not sign a federal ban.

“Enough with the gaslighting. We all know if Donald Trump gets the chance, he will sign a national abortion ban," Harris declared to the crowd. “He basically wants to take America back to the 1800s. But we are not going to let that happen. Because, here’s the deal, this is 2024 not the 1800s and we’re not going back. We are not going back.”

The timing of Harris's visit to Arizona was conspicuous, following swiftly on the heels of the Arizona Supreme Court's ruling, which permits abortion only in cases deemed necessary to preserve the life of the pregnant individual.

Harris labeled the decision a "seismic event" and one of the most significant aftershocks of the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade in June 2022. She said the decision “now means women here, the women here, live under one of the most extreme abortion bans in our nation.”

Attributing the restrictive abortion law in Arizona to Trump's legacy, Harris argued that it exemplifies a broader assault on reproductive rights orchestrated by the former president.

“It has demonstrated once and for all that overturning Roe was just the opening act, just the opening act of a larger strategy to take women’s rights and freedoms. Part of a full-on attack, state-by-state, on reproductive freedom,” Harris said. “And we all must understand who is to blame—former President Donald Trump did not.”

While Harris condemned Trump's stance on abortion, the former president, in a press conference held concurrently at Mar-a-Lago with Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), expressed support for state-level bans on abortion, asserting they were operating as intended.

The Biden campaign has intensified its criticism of Trump in the wake of the Arizona ruling, launching an advertising campaign to underscore the potential consequences of his presidency for reproductive rights.

Trump, on the other hand, urged Arizona lawmakers to swiftly address the state's abortion policy, saying the new law went too far and that he expected it to be “straightened out.”

Amidst her political address, Harris also endorsed Representative Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) as the next Arizona senator, while offering words of support for Representative Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) as he embarks on cancer treatment, The Hill reported.

Social media backlash

However, Harris's remarks triggered a flurry of backlash on social media, with detractors accusing her of spreading falsehoods and engaging in political propaganda.

"Trump was already president for 4 years and he didn’t do it. Stop with your lies and fear-mongering. Biden is the authoritarian fascist," one posted on X.

"Nope. He has always been a proponent of 2 things: a woman’s right to choose, and putting the decision with the states per the constitution," another chimed in.

"Biden is the President now, I dont see him doing anything except gaslighting about Trump," someone else wrote.

"PROPAGANDA from the VP. How sad!" a comment read.

"There’s no evidence… just another lie," another added.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.