Vice President Harris answers questions during a moderated conversation with members of the National Association of Black Journalists hosted by WHYY on Tuesday in Philadelphia.

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Win McNamee/Getty Images

Vice President Harris denounced the baseless claims that former President Trump has made about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, saying it was a “crying shame” that the community has seen daily life interrupted by bomb threats in the wake of Trump’s remarks.

Speaking Tuesday in a panel interview with the National Association of Black Journalists, Harris said that the debunked claims elevated by Trump during last week’s presidential debate were an example of why the GOP nominee should not be trusted with the highest office in the land. During the debate, Trump said Haitian immigrants in Springfield were stealing their neighbors’ cats and dogs and eating them — a claim that city and state leaders have said are untrue.

“It’s a crying shame — I mean, my heart breaks for this community,” Harris told the panel. She said Trump’s remarks were lies rooted in racist tropes, and in some of her most forceful language about the remarks since the debate, insisted it “has to stop.”

“When you are bestowed with a microphone that is that big, there is a profound responsibility that comes with that,” Harris said. While addressing Trump’s comments, Harris recounted seeing images of elementary school children dressed up for picture day having to leave their schools in Springfield because of the threats.

Harris sought to connect Trump’s rhetoric to the conversation around political violence that has taken on new urgency in the wake of the apparent assassination attempt against the former president on Sunday. Harris said she has confidence in the Secret Service protection that she is provided, but then stressed that many Americans feel particularly vulnerable in the current political environment.

“Not everybody has Secret Service, and there are far too many people in our country right now who are not feeling safe,” specifically referencing people in Springfield, the LGBTQ community in Florida, immigrants and women.

Harris did note, however, that she spoke to Trump after the assassination attempt “to see if he was OK.”

“I told him what I have said publicly: There is no place for political violence in our country,” she said.

Over the course of the nearly hour-long conversation, Harris was pressed for specifics on a variety of her policy positions, but gave few new details.

She said that no working family should have to pay more than 7% of their income on child care — a pledge that echoed a Biden administration policy from February to families that receive child care assistance from the Department of Health and Human Services.

Harris was also pressed on how her policy on Israel and Gaza would differ from President Biden’s policy. She reiterated that a hostage and cease-fire deal was needed as soon as possible — and repeated her support for a two-state solution.