Mark Cuban, a prominent surrogate for Kamala Harris, sparked a backlash from Donald Trump’s campaign after he remarked, “Donald Trump never surrounds himself with strong, intelligent women,” during a Thursday appearance on The View.
The Trump campaign quickly capitalized on Cuban’s comment, sharing the clip widely across social media platforms. Senior Trump adviser Susie Wiles responded on X, stating, “I’m told @mcuban needs help identifying the strong and intelligent women surrounding Pres. Trump. Here we are! I’ve been proud to lead this campaign.” She pointed to notable figures like transition team chair Linda McMahon and RNC co-chair Lara Trump as examples.
The campaign’s spokesperson also issued a statement asserting that Cuban’s remarks were disrespectful to both Trump’s female supporters and the women involved in the campaign. This incident underscores the ongoing gender gap in support for political candidates, as Harris has been polling more favorably among women than men nationwide, particularly in key battleground states. This trend reflects a broader pattern in recent election cycles where women have increasingly leaned toward Democratic candidates.
In response to the criticism, the Trump campaign aimed to frame Cuban’s statement as detrimental to their appeal among female voters. At a recent rally, Trump asserted that he would protect women “whether they like it or not,” a comment that Harris found offensive.
In an attempt to clarify his earlier statement, Cuban took to X to explain that his comments were specifically aimed at Nikki Haley, a former GOP primary contender and Trump’s former UN ambassador, who he felt was not sufficiently visible on the campaign trail. He wrote, “I want to clarify that 1. I know many strong, intelligent women voting for Trump, including in my extended family. I’m not implying that female voters lack intelligence or strength. 2. I acknowledge that he has worked with many strong women, such as Elaine Chao, Kellyanne Conway, Ivanka Trump, and others.”
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