Former Vice President Kamala Harris resurfaced Thursday to speak at the Leading Women Defined Summit in Dana Point, California, where she sharply criticized President Donald Trump’s second term and warned against what she described as a growing silence in the face of “unconstitutional threats.”
“We’re seeing people stay quiet. We are seeing organizations stay quiet. We are seeing those who are capitulating to clearly unconstitutional threats. And these are the things we are witnessing. Each day in the last few months in our country. And it understandably creates a great sense of fear. Because you know there were many things we knew would happen.”
As Fox News reported, the speech marked one of Harris’ most public appearances since her loss to President Trump in the 2024 presidential election. Though she lost the race in November, Harris took the stage with renewed energy and referenced her earlier warnings about Trump’s return to office.
“I’m not here to say I told you so,” she said, pausing before adding with a laugh, “I swear, I wasn’t going to say that,” drawing laughter from the audience.
The appearance also came as reports surfaced detailing how Harris and her 2024 running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, were reportedly stunned by the outcome of the election. According to journalist Amie Parnes, Harris “was completely shocked,” by the defeat.
Parnes, co-author of the new book Fight: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House, spoke on the podcast “Somebody’s Gotta Win with Tara Palmeri,” which aired Thursday.
The book, co-written with NBC reporter Jonathan Allen, details the 2024 campaign and the political fallout following President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the race, which placed Harris at the top of the Democratic ticket.
Harris’ criticism of Trump on Thursday comes amid ongoing legal and market challenges tied to several of the president’s initiatives. A number of Trump’s executive actions remain tied up in court proceedings, and markets reacted sharply this week to his new tariffs, which have disrupted global trade activity and caused significant stock market volatility.
Thursday’s address was not Harris’ first public appearance since the election. In February, she gave a speech while accepting an award during the NAACP Image Awards. During that appearance, she also took indirect swipes at Trump and Department of Government Efficiency chief Elon Musk.
While Harris has remained mostly out of the spotlight since the 2024 election, her remarks at Dana Point suggest she plans to re-engage publicly as Trump’s administration continues to roll out new policy directives.
Visit Drew Berquist.com for more stories like this.
