Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said that Catholic Americans who plan on voting for Kamala Harris should “have their heads examined,” days after making similar comments about Jewish people.
Writing on Truth Social on Monday, Trump said that he will be attending this year’s Al Smith charity fundraising dinner. Harris’ team has said she will not be attending to focus on campaigning, in a break from presidential tradition.
Trump wrote: “It’s sad, but not surprising, that Kamala has decided not to attend. I don’t know what she has against our Catholic friends, but it must be a lot, because she certainly hasn’t been very nice to them, in fact, Catholics are literally being persecuted by this Administration.”
“Any Catholic that votes for Comrade Kamala Harris should have their head examined….” he added.
Former President Donald Trump speaks at the Israeli American Council National Summit at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C., on September 19, 2024. He has criticized Catholics who plan to vote for Kamala Harris.
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
Trump made similar comments about Jewish people at a “Fighting Antisemitism in America” event in Washington, D.C., on Thursday.
“Any Jewish person who votes for her should have their head examined. I find it hard to believe, part of it is a habit, I think,” he said.
He added that if he loses the election, “Jewish people would have a lot to do with the loss.”
Trump has often called out Christians and Jews who might not support him, framing himself as their firm ally in contrast to the Democratic Party.
He has described the party as “anti-Catholic” and has repeatedly claimed that Catholics have been “persecuted” by the current Joe Biden administration, despite Biden himself being a Catholic.
A Pew Research Center poll released earlier this month shows that 52 percent of Catholic-identifying voters back Trump, while 47 percent say they support Harris.
Trump stoked controversy earlier this year when he said: “Christians, get out and vote just this time. You won’t have to do it anymore. Four more years, you know what? It will be fixed. It will be fine. You won’t have to vote anymore, my beautiful Christians.”
Some perceived his comments as being authoritarian and anti-democratic, implying that there would be no more elections if he became president.
His defenders said that he meant that Christians would not have to vote for him specifically again as he would have reached his term limit.
Pope Francis made rare political comments recently when he criticized abortion and anti-migration policies, and urged voters to pick whoever they deemed “the lesser of two evils,” without specifically naming either Trump or Harris.
Newsweek reached out to the Trump campaign via email outside of regular working hours.
