SAN FRANCISCO (Diya TV) — Former Vice President Kamala Harris delivered her most forceful public remarks since leaving office, criticizing President Donald Trump’s early second-term agenda as reckless, divisive, and a threat to the nation’s democratic institutions.
Speaking Wednesday night at the Emerge America 20th anniversary gala in her hometown of San Francisco, Harris accused Trump of triggering what she called the “greatest man-made economic crisis” in recent memory through sweeping tariffs, and warned his administration’s legal battles could push the country toward a constitutional crisis.
“Instead of an administration working to advance America’s highest ideals, we are witnessing the wholesale abandonment of those ideals,” Harris said during the 15-minute address. “They are counting on the notion that if they can make some people afraid, it will have a chilling effect on others. But courage is contagious.”
Her remarks come as Harris weighs her political future, with speculation swirling over whether she will launch a bid for California governor in 2026 or prepare for another presidential campaign in 2028. While she avoided any declarations on Wednesday, her return to the spotlight signals a deliberate reentry into national politics.
Harris has kept a relatively low profile since conceding defeat to Trump last November. But recent fundraising activity through the Harris Victory Fund — a joint effort with the Democratic National Committee — and appearances at key Democratic events suggest she’s beginning to reassert her influence. According to federal filings, the fund held about $4.5 million in cash at the end of March.
During her speech, Harris took direct aim at Trump’s economic and judicial agenda. She condemned his administration’s across-the-board tariffs, saying they are “clearly inviting a recession,” hurting families, small businesses, and retirement accounts. “These reckless import taxes devastate the middle class while giving tax breaks to the wealthiest among us,” she said.
Official government data released Wednesday showed the U.S. economy contracted by 0.3% in the first quarter of 2025 — a troubling sign for the White House (source: Department of Commerce).
Harris also warned that Trump’s administration is not just chaotic, but part of a long-running conservative strategy to shrink government and privatize public services. “What we are witnessing is a high-velocity event,” she said. “A vessel is being used for the swift implementation of an agenda that has been decades in the making.”
Her comments follow Trump’s campaign-style rally on Tuesday, where he mocked Harris as a “great border czar” and “great candidate,” suggesting he had barely heard of her before the 2024 election. The White House responded with sarcasm. “I think I speak for everyone at the White House: We encourage Kamala Harris to continue going out and doing speaking engagements,” said press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Thursday.
Harris’ speech Wednesday wasn’t just a critique of Trump. She also sought to rally Democrats, praising a range of party figures — from progressives like Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to centrists like Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Chris Murphy — for what she described as “moral clarity” during uncertain times.
Still, she stopped short of staking a position in the party’s internal ideological battles. “I’m not here to offer all the answers,” Harris said. “But I am here to say this: You are not alone, and we are all in this together.”
The speech marked a homecoming for Harris, who lives in Los Angeles but began her career in the Bay Area as San Francisco district attorney. Emerge America, the group she addressed, helped launch her political rise and now trains Democratic women to run for office.
Whether Harris ultimately chooses to enter the California governor’s race, which already includes candidates like former Rep. Katie Porter and Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, or waits for another shot at the White House, her return is sure to shake up the Democratic field.
“We are not going to scatter,” Harris said. “We are going to stand together, everyone a leader.”
