Former President Trump said Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) would have been a poor running mate choice for Vice President Harris, calling him a “terrible guy.”
“I know Josh Shapiro, he’s a terrible guy and he’s not very popular with anybody,” Trump said during a press conference Thursday at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
Harris ultimately chose Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) as her running mate Tuesday.
In the lead-up to the decision, the race to join Harris on the ticket became increasingly ugly as a number of progressives criticized Shapiro over his position on the Israel-Hamas war and handling of pro-Palestinian protests. The attacks drew backlash from Shapiro supporters and other Jewish Democrats, who suggested he was being unfairly targeted because he is Jewish.
During his press conference, Trump said he thinks Walz was “better than Josh Shapiro would have been.”
“I think other than Josh Shapiro, I think she had some good choices, but Josh Shapiro is not one of them,” he said. “He’s caused a lot of damage with a lot of people.”
The former president said he doesn’t believe Shapiro would have been better than Walz, “maybe the equivalent, maybe not as good.”
Trump’s comments criticizing Shapiro’s record differ from his previous statement about the Pennsylvania governor.
He told Fox News on Wednesday he felt Shapiro would have been a stronger choice than Walz, and he echoed claims from other Republicans who said he was passed over for his Jewish heritage.
Harris’s choice of Walz seemed to ease worries for Republicans.
While she was deliberating over her potential running mates, Republicans expressed anxiety over the possibility of Shapiro being chosen, particularly for his record of winning a statewide seat in Pennsylvania, a critical swing state, and his moderate record as governor.
With Walz joining Harris, Republicans have begun targeting his progressive record. Trump said Wednesday he “could not be more thrilled” that Walz — and his liberal ideologies — was chosen.
