It was revealed over the weekend that Vice President Kamala Harris would not attend the Al Smith dinner next month in New York City, as her campaign said she will instead be campaigning in battleground states. In a series of posts shared to his Truth Social account, though, former and potentially future President Donald Trump announced that he would be attending. He also had some choice words for the Democratic nominee in the process.
"It will be an honor to attend the SOLD OUT 79th ANNUAL AL SMITH DINNER," Trump began with his post about the event for October 17. He not only referenced Smith, but also John F. Kennedy, who was the first Catholic president, noting their spirits "will be in the room with us that night."
Trump also brought up how the 2020 event between him and President Joe Biden was a virtual one, as well as his attendance in 2016, "when we were there in person with Crooked Hillary Clinton."
It will be an honor to attend the SOLD OUT 79th ANNUAL AL SMITH DINNER on October 17th in New York. It will be great to see so many wonderful people there, including Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan. We know the Spirit of Al Smith, the first Catholic Nominee of a Major Party, and John…
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) September 23, 2024
….In addition to the Democrats’ Cruel War on The Little Sisters of the Poor, Kamala led the way on the UNCONSCIONABLE and UNCONSTITUTIONAL ATTACKS on The Knights of Columbus that amounted to a RELIGIOUS TEST (Very anti-Catholic!) for Justices on the Supreme Court. Also, who can…
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) September 23, 2024
It's not merely that Harris is abandoning tradition by declining to participate in a Catholic Charities event that celebrates the first Catholic nominee for president, when Al Smith ran as a Democrat in 1928. The event has been a tradition for presidential nominees since 1960.
Harris is part of the particularly pro-abortion Biden-Harris administration, and Harris herself has targeted Catholics, as Trump reminded in his posts.
"It’s sad, but not surprising, that Kamala has decided not to attend. I don’t know what she has against our Catholic friends, but it must be a lot, because she certainly hasn’t been very nice to them, in fact, Catholics are literally being persecuted by this Administration. Any Catholic that votes for Comrade Kamala Harris should have their head examined," Trump wrote in one post, using his nickname for the vice president, one he especially started using after she came up with price controls as a policy plan last month.
In another post, Trump really got into the specifics. "In addition to the Democrats’ Cruel War on The Little Sisters of the Poor, Kamala led the way on the UNCONSCIONABLE and UNCONSTITUTIONAL ATTACKS on The Knights of Columbus that amounted to a RELIGIOUS TEST (Very anti-Catholic!) for Justices on the Supreme Court," he detailed.
The Little Sisters of the Poor were targeted by the Obama-Biden administration, forcing them to turn to the U.S. Supreme Court because they wouldn't provide or refer for contraception under ObamaCare. While campaigning in 2020, Biden also promised to continue going after them.
The nuns have been facing court battles for over a decade now. Harris' state of California was also among those suing to force the contraceptive mandate. Meanwhile, the Trump administration sought to protect their religious freedom.
As a senator, Harris went after Catholic judicial nominees nominated by Trump due to their affiliation with the Knights of Columbus, and was particularly antagonistic towards Catholic nominees. Now, Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett are also both Catholic.
"Also, who can forget the flagrant, in-your-face “TRANSGENDER DAY OF VISIBILITY” Kamala and Biden hosted at the White House on Easter Sunday (of all days!)," Trump's post continued, with Easter Sunday and the Transgender Day of Visibility both taking place on March 31 for this year, with Biden issuing a proclamation for Transgender Day of Visibility, though he tried to deny it. It was a move that earned the ire of many, including LGBT individuals and groups. Trump had also spoken out against Biden's move at the time.
"Regardless, I will see everyone on October 17th, and we will have a GREAT night for Catholic Charities. It’s sad that Kamala doesn’t care about these good works, but with her History of anti-Catholic actions, she would have a hard time anyway!" Trump concluded.
The Trump-Vance campaign also on Monday afternoon sent out an "ICYMI" email with screenshots of and links to Trump's posts.
"Vice President Kamala Harris will not attend next month’s Al Smith charity dinner in New York City, her campaign has told organizers, opting instead to stump in a battleground state on October 17, less than three weeks before the election," a report from CNN, which was the first to share the news, began. If Harris' campaign is supposedly so full of "joy" and "hope" about her chances, then why does she feel the need to break tradition and skip such a key event in order to campaign?
That CNN report, from before Trump confirmed his attendance with his Truth Social posts, noted that "both [Trump and Harris] were expected, according to comedian and emcee Jim Gaffigan."