Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, the GOP vice-presidential nominee, defended his running mate's controversial remarks about Vice President Kamala Harris' biracial heritage, describing the reaction as "hysterical" and characterizing Harris as a "chameleon."
"I frankly just think it's hysterical how much the media is overreacting to it," Vance told The Hill en route to a campaign rally in Arizona. "The president doesn't do scripted BS stuff.
"He actually goes into hostile audiences, he answers tough questions, and he pushes back against them, but he actually answers them, and how nice it is to have an American leader who's not afraid to go into hostile places and actually answer some tough questions."
The authenticity comes in the face of someone Trump called "fake, fake, fake" in his own rally Wednesday night.
"I think he pointed out the fundamental chameleon-like nature of Kamala Harris," Vance continued. "She's flip-flopped on every issue. She's fake. She's phony. And I think our whole campaign is going to have a very fun time pointing that out.
"And it sounds like the president kicked us off in stride."
Vance campaigned Wednesday in Glendale, Arizona, joined by Senate candidate Kari Lake, R-Ariz., and Sara Workman, who also spoke at the RNC in July "on behalf of everyday Americans" whom she says face daily financial pressures from filling up their gas tanks to grocery shopping and paying monthly bills.
Earlier Wednesday, Trump participated in an interview at the National Association of Black Journalists convention. When asked about claims from other Republicans that Harris was chosen for the Democratic ticket solely due to her race and gender, Trump responded with his critique of Harris' heritage.
"I've known her a long time indirectly. Not directly very much," Trump said. "She was always of Indian heritage. And she was only promoting Indian heritage. I didn't know she was Black until a number of years ago when she happened to turn Black. And now she wants to be known as Black. So, I don't know — is she Indian, or is she Black?"
ABC News correspondent Rachel Scott said, "She has always identified as a Black woman."
"But you know what, I respect either one. But she obviously doesn't. Because she was Indian all the way, then all of a sudden, she made a turn. And she became a Black person. And I think somebody should look into that," Trump concluded.
Harris' heritage is a blend of Indian American and Black. Her mother emigrated from India, while her father came from Jamaica. Harris attended Howard University, a historically Black university in Washington, D.C., where she joined the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.