Trump calls it 'toughest question' when asked three virtues of Kamala Harris

Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump, 78, had little praise for his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris, 59, when asked to name three nice things about her during a recent Univision town hall. The exchange comes just a month ahead of the high-stakes US presidential election, scheduled for November 5, 2024.

During the event, held by the nation’s largest Spanish-language network, Trump was asked by audience member Teresa Djedjro to list three virtues of his opponent. The question was the same as Harris had received a week earlier about Trump on the same platform.

“That’s a very hard question,” Trump responded after a pause. “That’s the toughest question. The other ones are easy.”

Initially, Trump offered no praise, accusing Harris of having "harmed our country horribly". However, when pressed for positive remarks, he complimented what he called her "ability to survive", referencing her early exit from the 2020 Democratic presidential primaries and her rise to lead the 2024 Democratic ticket.

“She was out of the race,” Trump said. “And all of a sudden, she’s running for president.”

Trump also noted Harris’s long-term friendships and said she seemed to have "a nice way about her". He added, “I like the way, you know, some of her statements, some of her -- the way she behaves in a certain way. But in another way, I think it’s very bad for our country.”

The exchange closely followed a similar moment from Harris’s Univision town hall appearance. Harris, when asked the same question about Trump, she also faced difficulty finding kind words for him, saying his political style “pains me” and criticising his “us-versus-them” approach.

After some thought, Harris eventually offered a compliment, stating, “I think Donald Trump loves his family, and I think that’s very important".

However, she quickly added, “But I don’t really know him. I only met him one time.”

This exchange underscores the deep tension in the current election cycle, where both Trump and Harris have framed each other as threats to democracy.

Despite the combative tone of the campaign, asking candidates to say something positive about their opponent has been a longstanding tradition that has occasionally led to memorable moments.

In 2016, during a similar debate, Hillary Clinton complimented Trump’s children, calling them "incredibly able and devoted." Trump, in return, said of Clinton, “She doesn’t quit, she doesn’t give up. I respect that,” according to ABC News.

This year, however, both Trump and Harris have shown little willingness to offer substantial praise for each other, reflecting the deep divisions within the nation heading into the November election.