Chicago – Trump’s White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham will speak at the event Democratic National Convention on Tuesday, one of several Republican voices this week to highlight the “extremism” of Donald Trump.
“I never thought that I would speak at the Democratic convention. But after seeing who Donald Trump really is and the threat he poses to our country, I’m more than happy to speak my mind,” Grisham told NBC News in an exclusive statement.
Grisham was a press aide during Trump’s 2016 campaign before becoming first lady Melania Trump’s chief of staff and press secretary. Grisham later became the White House press secretary briefly in 2019 and was promoted to communications director before leaving the administration.
Grisham resigned on January 6, 2021, hours after Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol. He spoke in congressional committees investigating the attack and said it was “cooperating fully”.
In the interview On NBC News’ “Meet the Press” program in October 2021, Grisham said he had tried to resign “a few times” before, but Melania Trump dissuaded him from doing so.
“January. 6, of course, was my breaking point,” he said. “And I was really proud that I was the first person in the administration to resign.”
“Even though I don’t agree with Vice President Harris on everything, I am proud to support him because I know he will defend our freedoms and represent our nation with integrity and honesty,” he told NBC News.
Other Republicans are expected to share a similar message throughout the convention, including former Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger, who is scheduled to speak Thursday.
“As Donald Trump continues to attack moderates and independents, the Harris-Walz campaign has made it clear that there is room in our coalition for voters who reject Donald Trump’s extremism and want to protect our democracy,” a Harris campaign official said.
Speaking at the convention, Grisham is expected to urge fellow Republicans to “stand up and join me” in supporting Harris, “to ensure that Donald Trump never returns to the White House,” the official said.
Biden’s re-election team began recruiting Republican leaders to support his cause and the Harris campaign. continued these efforts.
“We will feature patriotic Republicans in our convention programs and explain, in their own words, why they put country first and support Vice President Harris,” said Austin Weatherford, the campaign’s director of national Republican engagement. NBC News.
The democratic campaign has begun “Republicans for Harris” program this month to reach more moderate and independent voters who have supported Trump in the past.
He took particular care to highlight Project 2025, the conservative think tank’s plan for Trump’s second term. In recent weeks, Trump and his allies have tried to do just that they distance themselves from the document.
So far, the Harris campaign has delivered numerous endorsements from Republican leaders, and it will continue to invest in paid media to attract potentially critical state voters, based on the seven-figure sum already spent.
He also plans to continue producing direct-to-camera statements featuring GOP votes for use in grassroots digital campaigns.
Members of Harris’ team are in constant contact with Republicans and right-leaning organizations that might join the effort and will work behind the scenes to get additional support from Republicans in the final 80 days of the campaign, two Harris campaign officials said.