Trump calls Kamala Harris 'monster' and 'communist' in Fox tirade after VP debate

President ramps up attacks against California senator after she debates Mike Pence on national television

President Donald Trump has attacked Kamala Harris following the vice presidential debate on Wednesday night, calling the California senator “unlikeable” and falsely claiming she is a “communist” in an interview with Fox Business' Maria Bartiromo.

Speaking about the Democratic vice presidential nominee’s debate performance, the president said on Thursday morning: “She was terrible … totally unlikeable.”

He added: “And, she’s a communist.” 

It’s a label the president has often used to attack the Democratic Party and his apparent enemies, reportedly claiming the party’s platform was “probably communist” at a campaign event in Ohio last month.

During his phone interview with Fox News on Thursday, the president continued to refer to Ms Harris as a “monster” and at one point described her as the “monster who was on stage with Mike Pence” at the debate. 

Mr Trump has routinely targeted Ms Harris with name-calling attacks, referring to her as a “mad woman” in previous statements and falsely claiming she may not be eligible to serve in the vice presidency, a false conspiracy rooted in racism.

Ms Harris is the first black woman and first South Asian American to join a major party ticket in a presidential election. 

The president made the comments about Ms Harris in his first interview since it was reported he contracted Covid-19 last week. Mr Trump was speaking to Fox from the White House, where he returned this week following an extended stay at Walter Reed Medical Center in Maryland.

He claimed to be the “perfect physical specimen” and said he had virtually no health problems which allowed him to fight off the novel virus. However, his doctors have noted the president has a history of elevated cholesterol and was taking medicine to treat it. 

“I’m back because I am perfect physical specimen and I'm extremely young,” Mr Trump said. "So I am lucky in that way.” 

Mr Trump referring to Ms Harris as a “monster” sharply contradicted Vice President Mike Pence’s performance at Wednesday night’s debate.

Mr Pence commended the California senator on her nomination and the two largely avoided any personal attacks. 

The president meanwhile spoke out against the debate commission’s decision make the next presidential debate virtual, telling Ms Bartiromo: “I’m not going to waste my time on a virtual debate, that’s not what debating is all about.”

“You sit behind a computer and do a debate, it’s ridiculous,” he added. “Then they cut you off whenever they want.”