"Laffin'" and "lyin'": Trump's struggle to pin a nickname on Harris
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks with members of the media after casting his ballot at Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections on August 14, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Florida. Photo: Eva Marie Uzcategui/Getty Images
The nickname game has been a staple of former President Trump's campaigns — from Little Marco to Ron DeSanctimonious, his monikers made headlines.
Why it matters: But now, as the former president struggles to shift his messaging toward a new Democratic foe, he's tried to launch a variety of labels for Vice President Kamala Harris — but they don't seem to be sticking.
- Trump has dubbed plenty of opponents as "lyin,'" "crooked" or "crazy" — Harris included.
- But he's flipped through a new rolodex of names for the vice president, some of which have elicited confusion rather than catching on.
Zoom in: Before Biden stepped aside from the presidential race, Trump had already dubbed Harris "Laffin' Kamala Harris," writing in an Independence Day message, "respects to our potentially new Democrat Challenger, Laffin' Kamala Harris."
- But as the Harris-Walz campaign leans into a message of optimism (with Walz saying at a Detroit rally that Harris "emanates the joy"), Democrats have attempted to harness Harris' signature laugh as a strength despite GOP attacks.
Zoom out: The introduction of "Kamabla" (an intentional misspelling of her name Trump used in several Truth Social posts) spurred questions directed at his close allies — and few answers.
- Asked about the former president's new nickname by reporters on the tarmac in Wisconsin, GOP VP candidate Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) laughed, saying he hadn't talked to his running mate about the name, adding, "I would be shocked if this is the last nickname he gives her before the end of the election."
- North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, once at the top of Trump's list of VP contenders, told CNN's Kaitlan Collins he "can't comment" on the name.
The latest: The campaign's recently debuted "Kamalanomics" (perhaps a take on the Biden administration's use of "Bidenomics" before Democrats largely abandoned the term that became a target of ridicule) and "Kamala Crash" have also been auditioned in campaign messaging.
- "Kamala Crash" was repeatedly used by Trump and his campaign following a massive selloff in global stocks that triggered a market meltdown. But as global markets largely rebounded, that attack took a back seat to Kamabla — or, with one of his favorite modifiers, "Crazy Kamabla."
The big picture: The use of "Kamabla," its origins still unknown, underscores a larger conversation stirred by Trump and his allies long mispronouncing her name and those of other opponents who are people of color.
- Trump received harsh blowback when he took to social media to butcher then-rival Nikki Haley's birth name, referring to the daughter of Indian immigrants as "Nimbra" and "Nimrada" (her given name is Nimarata).
- "I couldn't care less if I mispronounce it," the former president said of Harris' name at a campaign rally last month, joking he's heard Kamala said "about seven different ways."
Go deeper: Trump, allies hit Harris and Walz with barrage of personal attacks
