Former President Donald Trump took to social media on Sunday with a scathing attack on Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
According to a report by ABC News on Sunday, August 25, 2024, the tirade veered into deeply personal and inappropriate territory, with Trump resorting to derogatory nicknames and menstrual-themed insults.
In the early morning X (formerly Twitter) post, Trump revived his weeks-old attack on Walz, accusing him of ensuring elementary school bathrooms in Minnesota were stocked with tampons for young boys.
“Comrade Kamala is doing a campaign bus tour with Tampon Tim, her really bad V.P. Pick,” Trump wrote, adding that the pair were “Struggling” while “Sleepy Joe is sleeping on a Beach in California.”
The comments were in reference to a 2023 law signed by Walz that requires access to feminine hygiene products in school bathrooms for grades 4-12.
While the law does not specifically mandate tampons for boys, it ensures that “all menstruating students” have access to pads, tampons, and other necessary products.
Republicans have fiercely criticized the measure, with Trump and others branding Walz “Tampon Tim.”
However, the law has been praised by women’s health advocates as an important step towards destigmatizing menstruation and ensuring that no student misses school due to lack of access to these basic necessities.
Trump’s attack also included broader swipes at the Biden administration, with the former president claiming that “Bombs are dropping all over the place!” and questioning “Who is negotiating for us in the Middle East?” He went on to suggest that the situation could lead to “World War,” despite no evidence of any imminent global conflict.
The former president’s choice of language was particularly striking, with his use of the term “menstrual” and the nickname “Tampon Tim” seen by many as an attempt to embarrass and demean Walz.
Experts noted that such rhetoric plays into harmful stereotypes and stigma around women’s health issues.
“This is not the kind of discourse we should be seeing from a former president,” said Dr. Emily Willis, a professor of gender studies. “Trump’s comments are not only inappropriate and unprofessional, but they actively work to marginalize and shame people who menstruate. It’s a concerning and regressive line of attack.” told by BBC.
The Biden administration has yet to directly respond to Trump’s tirade. However, Harris’ campaign spokesperson, Jenna Lowenstein, issued a statement condemning the former president’s “juvenile and offensive” remarks.
“Rather than engage in substantive policy discussions, Trump has resorted to childish name-calling and the deployment of harmful gender-based tropes,” Lowenstein said. “The American people deserve leaders who will tackle the real issues facing our country, not those who will stoop to such depths of crass and shameful behavior.”
As the 2024 election cycle heats up, Trump’s ability to dominate the news cycle with inflammatory rhetoric will likely continue to be a point of concern for his opponents.
However, many are hopeful that voters will ultimately reject such tactics in favor of more constructive and solutions-oriented leadership.
