US Election 2024: Donald Trump’s sharp jokes and barbs at Al Smith Dinner target Kamala Harris and her absence

Former President Donald Trump headlined the annual Al Smith dinner, a prominent Catholic charity event in New York, on Thursday night, using the occasion to launch a series of jabs at various political figures, including “absent” Vice President Kamala Harris.

Trump's address, which drew both laughter and groans from the white-tie audience at the 79th annual gathering, included a joke about the breakup of Harris’s husband Douglas Emhoff's first marriage.

He took aim at Harris, questioning her mental fitness and mocking her late entry into the presidential race, as well as her distinctive laugh. At one point, he said, “I never liked people I was competing against.”

Trump referenced the two assassination attempts and ongoing investigations, remarking, “I guess I just don't see the point of taking shots at myself when other people have been shooting at me for a hell of a long time.”

Trump acknowledged the difficulties facing the nation, stating, “There's nothing funny about what's happening to our country.”

Vice President Kamala Harris did not attend the event, opting to remain on the campaign trail in battleground states, a decision that marked the first time a presidential candidate has declined an invitation. She delivered a brief recorded address, though.

Trump criticized Harris for not attending, calling it "deeply disrespectful" to the event and the Catholic community, saying, “My opponent feels like she does not have to be here, which is deeply disrespectful to the event and in particular to our great Catholic community.” He added, “If you really wanted Vice President Harris to accept your invitation, I guess you should have told her the funds were going to bail out the looters and rioters in Minneapolis and she would have been here, guaranteed.”

The Al Smith dinner, which raises millions for Catholic charities, has historically served as a platform for candidates from both parties to exchange light-hearted banter and showcase a semblance of camaraderie in the lead-up to elections. It often serves as one of the final occasions for nominees to share a stage before Election Day.