Ever since U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris became the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump has used barely veiled gendered attacks to try to undermine her credibility. In a recent interview with Fox News, for instance, Trump suggested that Harris would not be an effective advocate for the U.S. in foreign affairs, claiming that foreign leaders would “walk all over her.”
“She’ll be so easy for them,” he added. “She’ll be like a play toy.” As if to underline his implied message, Trump added, “And I don’t want to say as to why, but a lot of people understand it.”
Trump’s dog-whistle comments were an attempt to target Harris’ gender and race, suggesting that a woman of color cannot command respect on the world stage. But they underscore the ways in which his own political persona is based on a model of masculinity that is far more dangerous for U.S. foreign policy.