Oct 29, 2019 - Economy

Harris likens Trump's Baghdadi announcement to video game commentary

Rebecca Falconer

Sen. Kamala Harris during an interview with host Seth Meyers on October 28 — Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris during an interview with "Late Night" host Seth Meyers Monday. Photo: Lloyd Bishop/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris denounced President Trump on NBC's "Late Night with Seth Meyers" for his "extraordinary" remarks at a news conference announcing the death of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

You would’ve [thought] that he was talking about watching and giving commentary on a video game."

Details: Harris praised the role of U.S. special forces in the Syria mission and the American intelligence community. But she told host Seth Myers that the commander-in-chief "has as her highest priority the responsibility to concern herself" to the solemnity of the role, prompting cheers from the crowd.

"He clearly does not fully appreciate the importance of the job, which must be done with integrity, which must be done in a way that is solemn, understanding what is at stake," she said.

Background: During his news conference on the raid, Trump raised Democrats' ire when he said he didn't tell them of the raid because he was concerned about potential leaks, though he did inform the Russian government that U.S. soldiers were conducting an operation in northwestern Syria.

Trump said Baghdadi went to his death "whimpering and crying and screaming" before detonating a suicide vest. And he said the raid was "bigger" than the 2011 one that killed Al Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden.

Go deeper: Baghdadi raid depended on international ties Trump has spurned

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Harris likens Trump's Baghdadi announcement to video game commentary

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