President Donald Trump pushed back on a claim in former Vice President Kamala Harris' new book that he privately lauded her during her 2024 concession phone call, telling her she was a "tough, smart customer."
Not true, Trump says.
In fact, Harris was a disappointing presidential rival, according to Trump.
"Not that I know of," Trump said in a Sunday morning TV interview posted to X when asked if he had called Harris "tough" and "smart."
"But I was nice to her. I met her a couple of times and I was always nice to her."
Harris was not complimentary of Trump on the campaign trail, often adopting much of former President Joe Biden's hate-filled vitriol and rhetoric that denounced Trump as a "threat to democracy."
But Trump, who has often rebuked the presidential election map as tough for Republicans and often too favorable – if not "rigged" – for Democrats, was shocked how poorly Harris did against him last November, noting she was far less of a "tough and smart" presidential election foe.
"I thought Kamala would have done a better job than she did in terms of running, because we really won by a lot," Trump said.
"And I thought she would have done better."
The New York Times, citing excerpts of Harris' book, reported she recalled Trump telling her she was a "tough, smart customer" and praising her name while pledging to be respectful.
Harris also wrote she urged Trump to help unify the nation but believed it was "a lost cause."
Eric Mack ✉
Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.
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