Former President Donald Trump took aim at Vice President Kamala Harris for skipping the annual Al Smith dinner in New York City, a major fundraising event hosted by Catholic Charities, calling her absence "deeply disrespectful" to the Catholic community.
At the 79th annual event, Trump highlighted the long-standing tradition of Republican and Democrat presidential candidates attending the dinner and expressed disappointment at Harris' absence.
"Candidates for president of the United States have always attended this dinner," Trump said, adding, "You gotta do it. Otherwise, bad things are gonna happen to you from up there," he said, pointing to heaven.
He pointed out that the last Democrat to miss the event was Walter Mondale in 1984, who went on to lose 49 states in the election, winning only Minnesota.
"It shows you there is a God," Trump joked.
Trump also took a swipe at Harris' reported reason for her absence, implying that she and her running mate were "spending a lot of time hunting," and described the situation as "weird." He tied the remark to previous criticisms he and other Republicans had faced.
"They called me weird. They called [Sen.] J.D. [Vance, R-Ohio] weird. We're very solid people," Trump said. "But this was weird that the Democrat candidate is not here with us tonight."
Harris' campaign had earlier announced that she would participate in the event virtually, though Trump suggested her absence was "deeply disrespectful" to the Catholic community.
He reiterated his pleasure to be in New York for the event, noting, "It's really a pleasure to be anywhere in New York without a subpoena for my appearance."
The Al Smith Dinner, named after former New York Governor Al Smith, has long been a key event for both parties, providing a rare moment of bipartisan humor and civility during election seasons.