Harris calls Trump a 'tyrant,' slams feckless CEOs for capitulation

Former Vice President Kamala Harris described Donald Trump as a 'tyrant' during a Monday night interview with MSNBC's Rachel Maddow, her first public remarks since losing to Trump in the 2024 presidential election. The conversation touched on the role of business leaders in safeguarding democratic institutions, and Harris urged titans of industry to speak up as a check on executive power.

Harris used the interview to rail against what she called feckless capitulation by American business leaders. She said she believed private-sector leaders should act as guardrails for democracy, but she argued that, in recent years, they have largely stayed silent. 'I worked closely with the private sector over many years, and I always believed that if push came to shove, those titans of industry would be guardrails for our democracy, for the importance of sustaining democratic institutions,' Harris said. 'And one by one by one, they have been silent. They have been, you know, yes, I use the word feckless.'

Harris stressed that she believes democracy sustains capitalism and that capitalism thrives in a democracy, not under authoritarian rule. She argued that the billionaire class should not fear losing their assets merely for speaking out against Trump, noting that the current political environment has made critics wary, even as she said the stakes for democratic institutions could not be ignored. 'Democracy sustains capitalism. Capitalism thrives in a democracy. And right now, we are dealing with — as I called him at my speech on the ellipse — a tyrant,' she said, signaling a belief that Trump is challenging democratic norms in ways reminiscent of past dictators.

The interview also touched on the risks faced by critics under the current administration, which Harris described as having gone after dissenters. While she acknowledged business leaders may be hesitant to break with Trump in such a climate, she urged them to stand up for the people who rely on these institutions to maintain integrity and to act as guardrails against autocratic impulses.

The MSNBC appearance came a day before the release of Harris's memoir, 107 Days, which will recount her tumultuous experience stepping in after President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 race to allow her to lead the Democratic ticket. Harris's reflections, captured for a broader audience, come as Trump revisits an impeachment-era dynamic of political warfare and as questions linger about the role of corporate influence in political life.

The remarks reflect ongoing tensions within the Democratic coalition about how to respond to a political figure who has repeatedly accused opponents of eroding democratic norms. Harris's comments also underscore a broader debate about the responsibilities of major U.S. employers in public discourse, a topic that has become more salient as labor and consumer movements push for accountability from corporate leadership. The interview with Maddow, scheduled ahead of the book's release, positions Harris as a vocal critic of Trump and a proponent of heightened corporate accountability in defense of democratic institutions.