Trump recruits Tulsi Gabbard for debate prep after she 'dominated' Harris in 2019 primary
Gabbard attacked Harris in a 2019 Democratic presidential primary debate over her for jailing hundreds of Californians for marijuana violations
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}She memorably took down Kamala Harris in a viral debate exchange in 2019 and now former Hawaii congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard has been enlisted by former president Trump to give him some valuable insights ahead of his upcoming debates against the 2024 Democratic nominee.
Gabbard, who ran for president in the 2020 Democratic primary, has been recruited by Trump to help him sharpen his preparation ahead of the debates, Fox News Digital has learned.
The former congresswoman memorably scorched Harris in a 2019 primary debate where she hammered Harris for jailing hundreds of Californians for marijuana violations while she was attorney general, yet bragged about her own use of the drug.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}KAMALA HARRIS IS AN 'EMPTY SUIT' AND CAMPAIGN HANDLERS ARE WORRIED, SAYS TULSI GABBARD
Former president Trump has recruited former Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard ahead of his upcoming debates against Vice President Kamala Harris. (Michael M. Santiago, left, Steven Ferdman, center, Brandon Bell, right.)
"She put over 1,500 people in jail for marijuana violations and then laughed about it when she was asked if she ever smoked marijuana," Gabbard said on the debate stage.
Gabbard has already taken part in a practice session with former president Trump at his private club and home, Mar-a-Lago, The New York Times reports.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Trump’s campaign team confirmed that Gabbard has been enlisted by Trump to debate prep and cited her performance in the debates for the 2020 election.
"President Trump has proven to be one of the best debaters in political history as evidenced by his knockout blow to Joe Biden," Trump's National Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. "He does not need traditional debate prep but will continue to meet with respected policy advisors and effective communicators like Tulsi Gabbard, who successfully dominated Kamala Harris on the debate stage in 2020."
Gabbard dumped the Democrat Party two years ago to become an independent and has become a fixture among conservatives and was even touted as a potential running mate for former President Trump.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}KAMALA HARRIS' RECORD AS PROSECUTOR IN CALIFORNIA SPELLS ‘TROUBLE’ FOR PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN: LAWYER
Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard clashed in the 2020 primaries. (Getty/Fox News)
In the viral 2019 exchange, Gabbard said she was "deeply concerned" about Harris’ record as a prosecutor.
"She kept people in prison beyond their sentences to use them as cheap labor for the state of California, and she fought to keep a cash bail system in place that impacts poor people in the worst kind of way," Gabbrad said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Harris responded by saying she helped reform the criminal justice system in California "which became a national model for the work that needs to be done." She also said she supported legalizing marijuana in the U.S.
"I am proud of that work, and I am proud of making a decision to not just give fancy speeches or be in a legislative body and give speeches on the floor, but actually doing the work," Harris retorted. Harris previously held the office of San Francisco District Attorney and California Attorney General prior to her position as vice president.
On Thursday, Gabbard labeled Harris an "empty suit," arguing her campaign "handlers" are worried about what will happen if she has to explain her policy positions.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I think she revealed in that [July 2019] debate the same thing that I think her campaign handlers are worried about right now... Kamala Harris is an empty suit," Gabbard said on "America's Newsroom".
Trump took on Biden earlier this summer in a debate which led to him dropping out of the 2024 race. (Left: (Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images), Right: (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images))
"They are trying to create this new version of Kamala Harris to match what their pollsters are telling them, so she can say whatever she needs to say to try to win over voters, which is the most offensive thing because they think we're so stupid as to forget what her record actually is."
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Referring to her 2019 debate with Harris, Gabbard said the exchange exposed the vice-president's hypocrisy, which is still relevant to this year's election.
"What she said was very different than what she actually did, and she had no answer for it," Gabbard said.
"She had no explanation. She didn't even try to own or justify what her actions were. And that's going to be the key thing here for voters as we head into this election is Kamala Harris will say whatever she thinks she needs to say."