Donald Trump says he's 'entitled to personal attacks' on Kamala Harris

By JILL COLVIN and JONATHAN J. COOPER

BEDMINSTER, N.J. (AP) — Former President Donald Trump said Thursday he thinks he's "entitled to personal attacks" on his Democratic rival, saying he's "very angry" at Vice President Kamala Harris because of the criminal charges he faces.

Trump was responding to a question about whether his campaign needs more discipline during a news conference at his New Jersey golf club, where he looked to saddle Harris with the unpopular economic record of President Joe Biden.

"As far as the personal attacks, I'm very angry at her because of what she's done to the country. I'm very angry at her that she would weaponize the justice system against me and other people, very angry at her. I think I'm entitled to personal attacks," Trump said.

"I don't have a lot of respect for her intelligence and I think she'll be a terrible president," he added.

Trump stuck close to his scripted economic message for more than half an hour, reading from a binder in front of him in a news conference at his New Jersey golf club. Later, he veered into familiar stories he enjoys telling at his rallies. A day earlier, he had struggled to make a sustained case for his economic policies during a meandering speech that his campaign had billed as a major policy address.

"Kamala Harris is a radical California liberal who broke the economy, broke the border and broke the world, frankly," Trump told reporters.

Trump was flanked by popular grocery store items, including instant coffee, sugary breakfast cereals and pastries, laid out on tables as he highlighted the cost of everything from food to car insurance to housing. At one point, as he talked about the 2020 election he lost, he noticed a box of cereal.

"I haven't seen Cheerios in a long time," Trump said. "I'm going to take then back to my cottage."

The event came one day after the Labor Department announced year-over-year inflation had reached its lowest level in more than three years in July — the latest sign that the worst price spike in four decades is fading.

But consumers are still feeling the impact of higher prices — something Trump's campaign is banking on to motivate voters this fall.

Harris is planning her own economic policy speech Friday in North Carolina, promising to push for a federal ban on price gouging on groceries.

A small crowd of Trump supporters watched his news conference from the periphery, occasionally cheering him on. But without a crowd of thousands to please with red meat attacks on his enemies, Trump stuck closer to his prepared remarks.

Hours before the news conference, Trump's campaign leaders announced they were expanding his staff, bringing a number of former aides and outside advisers formally into the fold. Corey Lewandowski, Taylor Budowich, Alex Pfeiffer, Alex Bruesewitz and Tim Murtaugh will advise the campaign's senior leadership.

Lewandowski was Trump's first campaign manager during his 2016 campaign. Budowich and Pfeiffer are moving over from MAGA Inc., a pro-Trump super PAC. Bruesewitz produces pro-Trump content for a large social media following. And Murtaugh was the communications director for Trump's 2020 campaign.

Summer has traditionally been the time for shakeups in Trump's two prior campaigns. This year's change comes weeks after the campaign itself was transformed by President Joe Biden's decision to end his reelection campaign and endorse Harris.

Trump gave his top advisers a vote of confidence Thursday, writing on his social media platform that his management team headed by Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles is "THE BEST."

Trump spoke to the press as he steps up his criticism of Harris for not holding a news conference or sitting down for interviews since Biden made way for her.

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Cooper reported from Phoenix.