During a Univision town hall, former President Donald Trump was asked to name three positive qualities about Vice President Kamala Harris.
This came just a week after Harris faced a similar question about Trump, which led to a lighthearted yet challenging exchange for both candidates.
When a Hispanic voter asked Trump to name “three virtues” of Harris, he laughed and acknowledged the difficulty.
“That’s a very hard question,” he quipped, drawing laughs from the audience. “I’m not a fan, I think she’s harmed our country — at the border, with inflation, and in many other ways.” Despite his criticisms, Trump offered some praise, saying, “She seems to have an ability to survive. She was out of the race, and suddenly, she’s running for president. That’s a skill some people have, and some don’t.“
He added, “She seems to have some pretty long-standing friendships… I don’t call that an ability, but it’s a good thing.” T
rump also noted that Harris “has a nice way about her” in some respects, though he quickly countered that he believed some of her actions were harmful to the country. He concluded by emphasizing that Harris’s ability to “survive” politically set her apart, recalling that she initially exited the 2020 primary race early, yet now finds herself in the presidential race.
The previous week, Harris was asked a similar question at her own town hall, which also sparked an awkward moment. When asked to name three positive traits of Trump, Harris began by emphasizing shared experiences and commonalities among Americans, while criticizing Trump’s divisive rhetoric.
“What pains me is the approach that, frankly, Donald Trump has taken, which is to suggest an ‘us versus them’ mentality,” she said, pointing to his use of language that she viewed as belittling.
After a thoughtful pause, Harris offered that Trump “loves his family,” which she regarded as an admirable quality.
“Family is one of the most important things that we can prioritize,” she said. However, she also admitted she didn’t know Trump personally, explaining that they’d only met once on the debate stage. “I don’t really have much more to offer you,” she said, laughing lightly.
These exchanges highlight the contentious relationship between the two candidates, as both struggled to find common ground while maintaining their critical views of each other’s policies and leadership.
While Trump pointed to Harris’s resilience and interpersonal relationships, he maintained that her leadership has had negative consequences for the country. Harris, in turn, acknowledged Trump’s family values, but focused on her concerns about his approach to national unity.
These moments provided a rare glimpse of both candidates reflecting on their opponent’s personal qualities, albeit briefly and with caution. Both Trump and Harris used the opportunity to highlight areas of disagreement while acknowledging some aspects they could respect, even if reluctantly.
The contrasting styles and approaches underscored the deep divide between them as they vie for the nation’s top leadership role in a highly polarized political environment.
