Kamala Harris promises a departure from Biden's presidency during a tense interview with Fox News.

Kamala Harris promises a departure from Biden's presidency during a tense interview with Fox News.

The nominee asserts that their presidency would represent a break from Biden's approach and criticizes Trump for his remarks about an "enemy within."

In a tense interview with Fox News on Wednesday night, Kamala Harris declared that her presidency "would not be a continuation of Joe Biden's" as she took aim at Donald Trump for his ongoing threats against what he calls "the enemy within." This 25-minute exchange followed a rally she held in Pennsylvania with over 100 Republican officials and marked her first interview with Fox News, a network known for its support of Trump.

Bret Baier, Fox News's chief political anchor, serves as a more neutral counterpart to the network's evening programming, yet he still presented a range of right-leaning topics, including immigration, transgender rights, and Joe Biden's performance, as Harris sought to connect with the channel’s older, predominantly Republican audience.

During the interview, Harris was asked if there was anything she would do differently from Biden, prompting Baier to show a clip in which she stated there was “not a thing that comes to mind” she would change. This response has become a focal point for Republicans aiming to link Harris to the unpopular Biden administration.

“Let me be very clear: my presidency will not be a continuation of Joe Biden’s. Like every new president, I will bring my life experiences, professional background, and fresh ideas to the table. I represent a new generation of leadership,” Harris stated.

She continued, “As someone who hasn’t spent most of my career in Washington, I welcome ideas from a range of voices—whether it's from the Republicans who stood with me moments ago or from the business community and others who can contribute to my decision-making."

Baier referenced polling that indicates many Americans feel the country is “on the wrong track,” asking why that sentiment persists given her role as vice president since January 2021. Harris suggested that the polls reflect a weariness with both Biden and Trump, noting that Trump has been “running for office” since 2016.

Harris highlighted that several former high-profile members of the Trump administration now view him as “unfit to serve, unstable, and dangerous,” expressing that people are tired of someone who claims to be a leader while focusing on personal grievances and demeaning others.

In response to Baier’s question about why Trump maintains support from “half the country,” he added, “Are they stupid?” 

“I would never say that about the American people. In fact, if you listen to Donald Trump and watch his rallies, he’s the one who tends to demean and belittle them,” Harris replied. 

She concluded, “He talks about an 'enemy within,' implying that he would turn the American military against the American people.”

On a Fox News town hall earlier Wednesday, Trump reiterated his remarks about “the enemy from within.” He identified this supposed internal threat, which he believes should be “handled by” the military, as “the Pelosis” and other political opponents.

The former president reacted angrily to news of Baier interviewing Harris, posting on social media that the anchor is “often very soft on those in the ‘cocktail circuit’ left” and falsely claiming that Fox News has “grown weak and soft on the Democrats.”

While Baier provides a contrast to the more extreme evening hosts like Sean Hannity and Jesse Watters, he largely focused on right-leaning issues. He aired a Trump campaign ad, suggesting it was one of the few political ads to “break through” this year, which quoted an interview from 2019 in which Harris supported “surgical care” for transgender prisoners.

Trump has spent tens of millions on anti-transgender advertising, but Harris dismissed the issue, noting that “under Donald Trump’s administration, these surgeries were available on a medical necessity basis for people in the federal prison system.” She added, “I think, frankly, that ad from the Trump campaign is a bit like throwing stones while living in a glass house.”

Polls show Harris and Trump effectively tied in most swing states as both campaigns work to sway voters ahead of November 5. Harris's appearance on Fox News followed a series of interviews in the past week, including a segment on CBS’s prestigious 60 Minutes, a discussion with The View, an appearance on the Call Her Daddy podcast, and a conversation with radio host Charlamagne tha God.

Additionally, Harris is reportedly negotiating to appear on Joe Rogan’s podcast, the most popular in the U.S. with a large young male audience. Trump, who declined to participate in a second debate on CNN with Harris, has expressed interest in appearing on Rogan’s podcast as well.

This was Harris’s first sit-down interview with Fox News, though her running mate, Tim Walz, has appeared on the network several times. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has also become a familiar presence on Fox, with his calm responses to challenging questions often going viral and resonating with Democrats.