Katty Kay: Trump Scrambles for Attention as Democrats Steal the Spotlight
On Thursday, Donald Trump entered a room filled with journalists at his Mar-a-Lago estate for what was billed as a news conference. However, his demeanor suggested he wasn’t in the best of moods.
This appearance followed a week where Kamala Harris, alongside her new running mate Tim Walz, dominated media headlines, brought in substantial fundraising, and enjoyed a noticeable rise in the polls. Trump’s event felt less like an announcement and more like a bid to reclaim the media’s focus.
Just before Trump took the stage, one of his advisors sent me a text with a cheeky comment, emphasizing that Donald Trump is “never boring!!” (punctuation included).
The event did have some newsworthy moments. Trump confirmed he would join a televised debate with Vice President Harris on September 10, which ABC News also verified. Harris had already agreed to participate. Trump mentioned his desire for two additional debates, though Harris’s team has yet to respond to that proposal.
During the hour-long session, Trump fielded numerous questions and criticized Harris for not engaging with the press since becoming the Democratic nominee. The planned debate between Trump and Harris is set for September, promising a showdown. Trump is also working hard to derail Harris’s post-announcement momentum.
However, much of the event felt like a return to Trump’s usual talking points. He discussed poll numbers, media bias, the country’s challenges, and, unsurprisingly, crowd sizes—at one point even comparing his crowds to those of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Trump, known for grabbing headlines with controversial remarks, didn’t disappoint this time either. He suggested the U.S. was teetering on the edge of a global conflict and questioned the judgment of Jewish Americans supporting Vice President Harris, saying they “need to have your head examined.”
For Trump, the current situation is unfamiliar. He’s not accustomed to struggling for media attention, especially during an election cycle. The Biden campaign had previously allowed Trump to dominate the news, believing that a focus on Trump would benefit the current administration. They wanted Trump in the spotlight.
But the recent shake-up within the Democratic party has been significant, pushing Trump off the front pages. Making matters worse for the former president, much of the coverage surrounding Harris’s unexpected rise has been positive, shifting the strategy. Now, Democrats are soaking up the media spotlight, with Harris keen to keep the focus on her. The press has been more than willing to play along.
This is why Trump’s Mar-a-Lago event felt less like news and more like an attempt to regain lost ground.
Some strategists, like Marc Lotter, who ran communication efforts for Trump’s 2020 campaign, suggest that the former president could regain attention by staying on message. “Define Harris and Walz on policy,” Lotter texted me. “He wins on policy and results.”
Indeed, there were moments in the press event where Trump attempted this, labeling Harris as “extreme” and “liberal,” and highlighting his achievements on the economy and border security. However, these points were overshadowed by his grievances about crowd sizes and accusations against Harris’s campaign that bordered on the constitutional.
And just like that, it was over. Moments after Trump left the stage, cable news had already switched their focus from Florida to Michigan, where Harris and Walz were meeting with union workers. Once again, the spotlight was on the Democrats.
