Supposed Harris pledge to harm 'Trumpers,' ignore Constitution is fabricated | Fact check

Nate Trela, USA TODAY
·2 min read

The claim: Kamala Harris vowed to punish Trump supporters, ignore Constitution in 2021

An Aug. 15 Instagram post (direct link, archive link) shows a supposed statement Vice President Kamala Harris made on Jan. 21, 2021.

“These Trumpers think we care about the constitution,” the quote begins. “We have the power now, it's time to end this. They really don't get (sic). We will block them in the courts, we will use federal law enforcement and the military. After Joe inflicts the death blow, I'll take the reigns (sic).They will beg me for a loaf of bread".

The post was liked more than 100 times in a week. The same claim was also shared on Facebook.

More from the Fact-Check Team: How we pick and research claims | Email newsletter | Facebook page

Our rating: False

The quote is fabricated. A Harris spokesperson previously said it was not real. There is no evidence she said anything like it.

Purported quote has circulated since 2021

Harris has been the focus of renewed scrutiny since President Joe Biden dropped his re-election bid and endorsed her as his successor on July 21. But there is no evidence she made the comment attributed to her in the Instagram post.

Harris’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment by USA TODAY, but her office has denied the quote’s authenticity in the past. When the same supposed quote was circulating in 2021, then-Harris spokesperson Sabrina Singh told Reuters Harris never said it.

The vice president did give a public speech on the purported date of the quote – Jan. 21, 2021 – addressing the Democratic National Committee at a meeting where it was choosing new officers. But a full recording of the speech shows Harris did not make the supposed remark at the meeting.

No reliable news outlet has reported that Harris made the purported comment, and there is nothing like it posted to any of her verified social media accounts.

Fact check: Harris and Walz posing with a communist sign? No, image is altered.

Versions of the post exhort people to “share every quote Kamala has ever made,” and the claim is among several statements and social media posts falsely attributed to Harris during the first month of her campaign. USA TODAY has previously debunked claims she pledged to close the Department of Veterans Affairs, that she said young people should not have children because of climate change and that she made a nonsensical comment attempting to honor Olympians.

USA TODAY could not reach the Instagram user who shared the claim for comment.

Reuters also debunked the claim.

Our fact-check sources:

Thank you for supporting our journalism. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or e-newspaper here.

USA TODAY is a verified signatory of the International Fact-Checking Network, which requires a demonstrated commitment to nonpartisanship, fairness and transparency. Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Meta.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fabricated quote says Harris to punish Trump supporters | Fact check

  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next