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Former President Donald Trump recently expressed his ongoing concern about assembling a future White House team and took the opportunity to critique Vice President Kamala Harris for her decision to skip the Al Smith charity dinner, a prominent white-tie event in New York City. According to The U.S. Sun, Trump voiced his disappointment over Harris’s absence, calling it “disrespectful to [our] great Catholic community.”
Appearing on Fox & Friends on October 18, Trump labeled Harris as “incompetent” for not attending the October 17 dinner, an event that brings together American political and business leaders to raise funds for Catholic charities. This year, Trump and his wife, Melania, attended, alongside RFK Jr. and his wife, Cheryl Hines, while Harris was noticeably absent. Her decision marks the first time a Democratic nominee has skipped the dinner since Walter Mondale in 1984.
The annual Al Smith Dinner, named in honor of Alfred E. Smith—the first Catholic presidential candidate and a four-term governor of New York—was established in 1945 and has since become a tradition in American politics. Organized by Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the event is a key fundraising event for Catholic charities and provides politicians and business leaders an opportunity to network and discuss potential future projects.
Though Harris did not attend in person, she did provide a pre-recorded video featuring SNL comedian Molly Shannon, who appeared as her well-known character Mary Katherine Gallagher. While Harris’s absence was addressed with humor, Trump criticized her choice to skip the dinner, taking to his platform on Truth Social to call it “sad, but not surprising,” and noted that she “certainly hasn’t been very nice.”
Cardinal Dolan also shared his disappointment in a statement reported by Newsweek: “We’re not used to this; we don’t know how to handle it. This hasn’t happened in 40 years, since Walter Mondale turned down the invitation. And remember, he lost 49 out of 50 states.”
Trump’s remarks about Harris’s absence reveal a recurring theme in his campaign, as he has openly questioned her leadership capabilities in recent months. He emphasized that her decision to forgo the event disregards a longstanding tradition cherished by the Catholic community and political figures across the spectrum.
For Trump, who has attended the dinner multiple times, Harris’s absence provided a chance to portray his Democratic opponent as out of touch with both tradition and the Catholic community, underscoring his continued criticism of her leadership and dedication to representing all Americans.
