USA New phase in the US election campaign - Harris ensures a boom in donations

One week after Joe Biden withdrew from the presidential race, the election campaign in the USA has finally entered a new phase. According to the team of the new Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, it has managed to collect donations amounting to 200 million dollars (around 184 million euros) since last Sunday. Republican rival Donald Trump stepped up his rhetoric against the Vice President during appearances at the weekend. The presidential election takes place on November 5, 100 days from now.

Harris ensures a boom in donations

Harris' team described the donation result of the past few days as "record-breaking". Two thirds of the money came from first-time donors. This indicates that Harris enjoys broad support among the party's base.

Biden had suggested Harris as a replacement immediately after his withdrawal from the presidential race. The 59-year-old still has to be formally nominated by the Democrats. She managed to rally all her key supporters behind her in a short space of time. She held her first fundraising gala on Saturday.

Trump steps up his rhetoric

Trump, who has already been nominated as the candidate by his party, attacked Harris with renewed ferocity. Harris is a "failure on all levels", the 78-year-old said at a rally in front of supporters in the state of Minnesota on Saturday. If a "crazy liberal like Kamala Harris" moved into the White House, the American dream would be "dead".

An election victory for Harris would mean "four more years of extremism, weakness, failure, chaos and probably World War III". The Republican accused the Vice President of having failed on immigration policy. What she has done disqualifies her for the presidency.

Outraged by statement on election in four years

Trump is always provocative during the election campaign - and deliberately leaves some statements open to interpretation. At the weekend, for example, one of Trump's statements about the US election in four years' time caused outrage.

At a campaign event in front of conservative Christians in Florida on Friday evening local time, Trump called on people to vote and said that this would only be necessary once. "Christians, go out and vote! Just this once. You won't have to do it again." By the election in four years' time, he said, everything will be put right, everything will be good. "You won't have to vote again, my wonderful Christians."

Harris' team interpreted Trump's statement as an indication that the Republican wanted to "abolish democracy" if he were to return to the White House. The statement fits in with other statements made by Trump, such as that of being a "dictator only on day one", Harris' team announced on Saturday.

Debate about Trump's security continues

Since the assassination attempt just over two weeks ago, Trump has not held an outdoor rally due to security concerns. But that is exactly what he wants to do again, as he announced on his online platform Truth Social on Saturday.

"I will continue to campaign outdoors," he wrote in capital letters. The Secret Service has agreed to significantly increase its protection. Freedom of speech and assembly must not be stopped or restricted by anything or anyone, the Republican said.

Trump had also previously announced his intention to return to the site of the assassination. He would go back to Butler, Pennsylvania, to hold a "big and wonderful" rally there. "What a day it's going to be - fight, fight, fight!" He did not give further details on the timing.

On July 13, a gunman had opened fire from a nearby rooftop at a rally in Butler and shot at Trump. The perpetrator was killed by security forces. One visitor died and two others were injured. Trump was injured in his right ear.