Vice President Kamala Harris sat down Wednesday for what turned out to be a fiery and contentious interview with Fox News host Bret Baier.
It was Harris’ first interview with the network since becoming the Democratic nominee, and it comes as part of her final push to reach independent and undecided voters before Election Day.
During Wednesday’s interview, Harris and Baier went toe-to-toe on everything from immigration, to transgender rights, to Donald Trump’s threats to “lock people up.”
Immigration
In an initial volley, Baier grilled Harris on the number of undocumented immigrants who were allowed into the country under the Biden administration.
Baier interrupted Harris repeatedly as she tried to answer the question, until Harris finally cut in: “May I please finish?” she asked.
“Yes, ma’am,” the Fox News host responded.
Harris went on to highlight steps that the Biden immigration has taken to reform the immigration system, and she pointed out former President Donald Trump’s role in sinking a bipartisan immigration reform bill earlier this year that Republicans spent months advocating for.
Immigration is a top campaign issue heading into the election, and Trump has consistently had more voter support on the issue compared to Harris.
The former president has leaned into that support, dubbing Harris the Biden administration’s “border czar” and laying the blame at her feet for what he describes as “migrant crime.”
Fact-checkers have pointed out, however, that Harris was not the “border czar”; instead, she served as a liaison to Central American nations and was charged with helping work with those countries to address the root causes for illegal immigration.
DUSTIN FRANZ/AFP
Democracy
Harris doubled down on a key pillar of her campaign: highlighting the potential risks of a second Trump term and its effect on democracy and the rule of law.
She accused Trump of being unable to “handle criticism” and said the Republican nominee’s threats to “lock people up.”
“You and I both know that he has talked about turning the American military on the American people,” Harris said to Baier.
“I think the American people have concerns about Donald Trump,” Harris added, pointing to a number of former Trump administration officials and Republicans who have called him unfit for office — and many of whom have endorsed Harris.
Gender-Affirming Care
Trump and his surrogates launched a media blitz zeroing in on Harris and down-ballot Democrats’ support for gender-affirming care.
One campaign ad that the Trump campaign released in battleground states declared: “Kamala is for they/them. President Trump is for you.”
The Trump campaign has been especially critical of gender-affirming care for inmates — but as multiple media outlets have reported, U.S. prisons offered such care during the Trump presidency as well.
Harris pointed that out on Wednesday.
“I will follow the law,” she said, adding that federal regulations require equal access to medical care.