“Can you believe that bullshit?”
The Democratic National Convention (DNC) is helping position the Harris-Walz ticket as the winner on Election Day in many ways. One way is to present more evidence that if you support Donald Trump, then you’re among the people he scorns. Stephanie Grisham, Trump’s former press secretary and Melania Trump’s former chief of staff, emphasized that Trump regularly “mocks his supporters,” behind their backs and off-camera.
After admitting she used to be a “true believer” and that the Trump family was her family, Grisham then detailed how Trump referred to his supporters as “basement dwellers.” She also recounted how, during the pandemic, when they visited infected patients suffering in the ICU, Trump was “mad” that the cameras weren’t on him. “He has no empathy, no morals, and no fidelity to the truth,” she concluded, before endorsing Harris-Walz.
This line of remarks from Grisham isn’t the first time Trump has been accused of trashing Americans, including those who support him. In September 2020, former White House Coronavirus Task Force member and Mike Pence aide Olivia Troye revealed that Trump suggested that COVID-19 was a “good thing” because it meant he wouldn’t have to bother shaking hands with “disgusting people,” referring to his own base. A year ago, on The View, Troye added that Trump “has nothing in common with any of his supporters and I detest the way he speaks about them,” adding that the way he spoke about his own supporters in meetings “was so disparaging to them.”
As another example, Michael Cohen pointed out how, as Trump’s former fixer, he observed Trump insulting people even if they were the ones helping him. In his book, Disloyal, Cohen revealed that after a meeting with top evangelical leaders who helped Trump win the election, Trump said, “Can you believe that bullshit? Can you believe people believe that bullshit?”
Grisham’s new comments further cement the steady stream of evidence that Trump’s relationship with his own supporters is insultingly inauthentic and toxic. As voters make their decisions over these final few months, they should consider the fact that everyone deserves better than to be hated by the very politicians we support and love.
Ron Leshnower is a lawyer and the author of several books, including President Trump’s Month