Former Vice President Kamala Harris reemerged onto the national stage with a forceful critique of President Donald Trump in her first major speech since leaving office. Speaking at the 20th anniversary gala for Emerge America in San Francisco, Harris addressed an audience of about 500, using the occasion to mark the first 100 days of Trump’s second term. She accused the current administration of a “wholesale abandonment” of American ideals, asserting that instead of striving to advance the nation’s highest principles, Trump’s government has disregarded them in favor of a narrow, self-serving agenda.

Harris focused much of her criticism on Trump’s economic policies, particularly the sweeping tariffs imposed on key trading partners. She described these tariffs as “reckless” and “irresponsible,” arguing that they have triggered the “greatest man-made economic crisis in modern presidential history.” According to Harris, these measures have raised the cost of essential goods, devastated retirement savings, and paralyzed businesses across the country, forcing many to downsize their workforce. She warned that the consequences of these policies are not abstract but are already being felt by working families and retirees nationwide.

Beyond economic concerns, Harris warned of a looming constitutional crisis, citing Trump’s ongoing disputes with the judiciary and his administration’s disregard for the rule of law. She praised Americans and institutions who have resisted what she called “unconstitutional demands,” including judges who uphold legal norms and colleges that defy overreaching executive orders. Harris argued that the administration’s actions represent not chaos but the culmination of a decades-long effort to reshape government by slashing public education, privatizing services, and rewarding loyalists while abandoning allies and retreating from the world stage.

Throughout her remarks, Harris sought to inspire courage among her audience, emphasizing that fear is not the only thing that is contagious-so is bravery. She highlighted the voices of Americans speaking out against the administration’s policies, urging continued resistance to what she described as an agenda designed to punish truth-tellers and leave ordinary citizens to fend for themselves. Harris’s speech signals her intent to remain a prominent voice in national politics, as speculation grows about her potential run for California governor in 2026.