Trump showcases groceries to call out Harris on rising inflation in US

Republican US presidential candidate Donald Trump has tried to tie his Democratic rival Kamala Harris to the Biden administration's economic record during a press conference at his New Jersey golf club, his latest effort to blunt her momentum.

Flanked by tables stacked with grocery items, Trump on Thursday blamed Harris, the US vice president, for the inflation that has caused the price of everyday goods to rise during President Joe Biden's term in office.

"Harris has just declared that tackling inflation will be a day one priority for her," he said. "But day one for Kamala was 3-1/2 years ago. Where has she been?"

Inflation peaked in 2022 but has slowed significantly since then, though grocery prices remain higher than they were before the Covid-19 pandemic.

Trump also leveled many of the same claims he typically unleashes at his campaign rallies, including asserting that migrants crossing the southern US border are mostly dangerous criminals.

The event was aimed at drawing a contrast with Harris, who has rarely answered questions from reporters since replacing Biden at the top of the Democratic ticket in late July.

Harris has said she plans to do her first formal press interview by the end of the month.

Trump held a similar press event at his Florida resort last week, where he spoke for more than an hour, bashing Harris over immigration and the economy and claiming that his campaign crowds have been much larger than hers.

Mock 'media advisory'

The Harris campaign sent out a mock "media advisory" ahead of Trump's press conference with the headline, "Donald Trump to Ramble Incoherently and Spread Dangerous Lies in Public, but at Different Home," a reference to his Bedminster estate.

Harris is scheduled to deliver a speech on economic policy on Friday in North Carolina.

"As far as the personal attacks, I'm very angry at her because of what she's done to the country. I’m very angry at her that she would weaponise the justice system against me and other people, very angry at her. I think I'm entitled to personal attacks," Trump added.

"I don’t have a lot of respect for her intelligence and I think she'll be a terrible president," he added.

Earlier on Thursday, the Trump campaign announced five hires, including Corey Lewandowski, who served as Trump's first campaign manager during his successful 2016 campaign.

Lewandowski voiced his excitement, posting on X: "Let Trump, Be Trump!"

Other than Lewandowski, the hires will largely work in communications and rapid response, according to another person familiar with campaign operations. The person added the campaign had been severely understaffed in that area.

"Corey Lewandowski, Taylor Budowich, Alex Pfeiffer, Alex Bruesewitz, and Tim Murtaugh are all veterans of prior Trump campaigns and their unmatched experience will help President Trump prosecute the case against Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, the most radical ticket in American history," Trump co-campaign managers Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles said in a statement.