Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) shot back at President Donald Trump Thursday after he called her “nasty” for grilling Attorney General William Barr during a Senate hearing.
Harris, a 2020 contender for the Democratic nomination, didn’t name-call in return, but she made her point.
Trump said on Fox Business Network that Harris was “probably very nasty” with her sharp questioning of Barr about the Mueller report during Wednesday’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. (Trump also mentioned Harris’ “nasty wit” to Fox News’ Sean Hannity last week.)
Harris, asked on CNN what the “nasty” insult was all about, responded with a laugh: “God only knows.”
“We have a president of the United States whose primary interest I think that has been clear as a result of what we know as a result of the Mueller report, his primary interest has been to obstruct justice,” Harris said. “My primary interest is to pursue justice. You can call that whatever name you want, but I think that’s what the American people want in a leader.”
The CNN clip was posted by Harris’ presidential campaign.
“Nasty” is a word that leaps easily to Trump’s tongue. He shocked many during a 2016 campaign debate when he muttered while rival Hillary Clinton was speaking: “Such a nasty woman.” He also called GOP Sen. Ted Cruz “nasty.”
Harris, an experienced prosecutor and former California attorney general, questioned Barr over his handling of the Mueller report and got him to admit he decided not to charge Trump with obstruction of justice without reviewing the special counsel’s evidence. Harris has since joined other Democrats in calling for Barr’s resignation.
Nasty wasn’t the only slur Trump tossed at Democrats who questioned Barr. He called Harris and fellow Judiciary Committee members Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) “lunatics” who were trying to notch “political points.” Booker and Klobuchar are also running for president.