Donald Trump has started preparing for his upcoming debate with Vice President Kamala Harris. In a surprising move, he brought former Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard to help him prepare. Gabbard, who left the Democratic Party after her 2020 presidential run, has gained a lot of support among Trump’s base.
She recently participated in a practice session at Trump’s private club and home, Mar-a-Lago. Trump spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt confirmed Gabbard’s involvement. She said it was partly due to Gabbard’s strong performance in a 2019 Democratic presidential primary debate, where she challenged Harris.
Trump’s new debate prep team
Karoline Leavitt said, “Mr. Trump has proven to be one of the best debaters in political history as evidenced by his knockout blow to Joe Biden,” Leavitt said. “He does not need traditional debate prep but will continue to meet with respected policy advisers and effective communicators like Tulsi Gabbard.”
Even though he says he does not need the usual preparation, Trump has reportedly spent more time preparing for this year’s debates than in 2016 or 2020. His debate with Biden in 2020 was notably rough, making Trump change his approach. For this preparation, Trump has been discussing possible topics and questions with his advisers rather than practicing with someone pretending to be his opponent.
Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida has asked Trump tough questions to create a combative debate environment. Senator JD Vance of Ohio and other lawmakers have also participated in these prep sessions. Trump’s team is expected to keep using this strategy for the debate with Harris, which is scheduled for September.
