Kamala Harris criticized Donald Trump on Thursday for his remark that he would protect women “whether they like it or not,” suggesting it reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of women’s rights “to make decisions about their own lives, including their own bodies.”
“I think it’s offensive to everybody, by the way,” Harris said ahead of her campaign stops in Arizona and Nevada, where she continued to focus on women’s rights and freedoms.
During a rally in Phoenix, she expanded on her critique: “He simply does not respect women’s freedom or intelligence to make their own decisions. But we trust women.”
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Trump’s comment, made at a rally in Wisconsin, came as he claimed he would protect women despite advice from aides to avoid the term “protector.” He added, “Well, I’m going to do it whether the women like it or not.”
These remarks dominated Harris’ day as she campaigned to draw women voters, emphasizing that women should be free to make choices about their own bodies. Harris warned that if Trump were reelected, additional restrictions could follow.
Introducing Harris in Las Vegas, Jennifer Lopez spoke about the importance of women in this election. “I believe in the power of women,” Lopez said, defending her Puerto Rican heritage and stressing that “women have the power to make the difference in this election.”
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Trump has struggled to connect with female voters, especially in light of his support for Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe v. Wade. While Harris framed his “protector” remarks as evidence of his approach to reproductive rights, Trump generally speaks of protection from threats like crime and foreign adversaries. At the Wisconsin rally, Trump stated, “I’m going to protect them from migrants coming in, from foreign countries that want to hit us with missiles, and lots of other things.”
The dispute has solidified support among each candidate’s base. At Harris’ Phoenix rally, Edison Kinlicheenie, a 50-year-old father, said Trump’s past actions show him as a threat rather than a protector. “I wouldn’t let a predator like that near my wife or daughter,” Kinlicheenie said.
Conversely, Sarah Pyle, a Trump supporter in Albuquerque, viewed him as a defender of women’s sports against allowing transgender athletes to compete. “We fought for women’s rights for so long, and now we’re giving them back to men,” she said.
Trump has recently faced criticism for inconsistencies in his stance on abortion. While he has appointed conservative justices and campaigned as “pro-life,” he has recently promised to veto a national abortion ban, arguing that states should regulate the issue.
Harris’ campaign has underscored Trump’s statements on women in a new ad featuring a woman who suffered sepsis after a pregnancy complication, playing Trump’s “protector” comments in the background.
Harris is counting on the abortion issue to motivate women voters. In early voting across seven battleground states, 1.2 million more women than men have already cast ballots, per TargetSmart analytics data. This trend does not guarantee a Democratic advantage, but in 2020, 55% of women supported the Democratic ticket, according to AP VoteCast.
