Trump To Hold 'General News Conference' To Apply Pressure On Harris

Former President Donald Trump is scheduled to deliver a 'general press conference' at 14:00 ET 19:00 BST today at his Mar-a-Largo residence in Florida. LIVESTREAM

• The presser appears part of a Republican strategy to press Vice President Kamala Harris into delivering a presser of her own - something she has yet to do since President Biden withdrew from the race.
• For Democrats, there has been little motivation to put Harris in front of the press, a perceived political weakness of Harris, considering the ongoing surge of enthusiasm amongst the Democratic base.
• Trump wrote on Truth Social: “Kamala refuses to do interviews because her team realizes she is unable to answer questions, much like Biden was not able to answer questions, but for different reasons.’”
• Benjy Sarlin at Semafor reports: "Trump is holding a presser today, we interviewed him last week and Vance yesterday and Vance is taking open press questions. Time’s just about up on Harris to avoid this becoming a thing."
• Harris' media performances, and general campaign strategy, were widely panned during her short-lived 2020 presidential campaign. Republicans likely hope that increased media scrutiny can revive some of the issues which sank her in 2019, including wavering positions on key issues and failing to adequately balance a divide between liberals and moderates in the party.
• When Harris does face the press, she will be in a challenging position of endorsing, or breaking from the Biden administration, on key wedge issues like immigration and Israel without damaging either Biden or her own campaign.