Former President Donald Trump delivered a barb-filled comedic routine at the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Dinner on Thursday evening in a roast that largely took aim at Democrats and, in particular, at his absentee opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris.
The Al Smith dinner, named for the nation’s first Catholic presidential candidate, is considered a highlight of the campaign season. Politicians from both sides of the aisle break bread and trade good-natured jabs at the charity dinner, which is aimed at raising funds for women and children in need.
Comedian Jim Gaffigan, who has ripped Trump numerous times in his routines and on social media, served as emcee.
Here were some of the night’s big moments:
In a stand-up style routine, Trump took aim at New York’s mayors, Democrats, and, of course, Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
“This guy was calling us weird,” he said of Walz, “but it was weird the Democratic candidate wasn’t here tonight.”
“She’s in Michigan receiving communion from [Michigan Governor] Gretchen Whitmer,” Trump said, in a dig at Harris’ efforts to shore up support in the battleground state and the governor’s much criticized video in which she fed Doritos to a podcaster in a manner in which some felt mocked Catholic communion.
Trump also took shots at Harris’ intelligence: “Right now, we have someone in the White House who can barely talk, barely put together two coherent sentences, who seems to have the mental faculties of a child. There’s a person that has nothing going. No intelligence whatsoever. But enough about Kamala Harris.”
Some of his jokes elicited groans from the audience.
“There’s a group white dudes for Harris, but I’m not worried about it because their wives and their wives’ lovers are all voting for me,” the former president said.
The moment was reminiscent of the 2016 Al Smith dinner, at which Trump similarly drew jeers from the crowd for his barbs about then-Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.