Former President Donald Trump held a news conference at his New Jersey golf club on Thursday, marking his second public address in as many weeks. With the Democratic National Convention just around the corner, Trump took the opportunity to intensify his criticism of Vice President Kamala Harris, who he alleged has been avoiding news conferences and interviews since President Joe Biden endorsed her as his replacement.

While Harris has traveled with reporters on Air Force Two and occasionally responded to shouted questions during campaign stops, she has yet to hold a formal news conference. During a brief interaction with journalists last week, Harris mentioned her intention to schedule an interview by the end of the month.

In the run-up to the news conference, Trump veered off message during a rally in North Carolina that was supposed to focus on economic matters. He seized the opportunity to express frustration over the Democratic Party's decision to replace Biden with Harris as their presidential nominee, taking personal jabs at his rival's intelligence and appearance and criticizing the state of San Francisco, where Harris was once the district attorney.

According to a recent poll conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, Americans have expressed greater trust in Trump when it comes to handling the economy and immigration, both key issues that he has emphasized as part of his campaign to return to the White House.

During his previous news conference, Trump taunted his opponent, boasted about the size of his crowd on January 6, 2021, and responded dismissively to questions about the level of enthusiasm surrounding Harris' campaign. However, it is important to note that his address included a number of false and misleading claims.

As the DNC approaches, Trump's continued criticism of Harris suggests that he sees her as a formidable opponent. As the Democratic ticket gains momentum, it remains to be seen how the former president's rhetoric will affect the upcoming election.