Harris calls Trump a 'tyrant,' slams 'feckless' CEOs in Maddow interview ahead of book release
In a Monday interview with MSNBC, Harris pressed corporate leaders to defend democratic norms as she promotes her memoir, 107 Days.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris, in an interview Monday with MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, branded Donald Trump a tyrant and criticized American CEOs for capitulating to him. The discussion, her first since losing the 2024 presidential race, aired as she prepared to publish a forthcoming memoir, 107 Days, recounting her tumultuous experience replacing Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee after Biden dropped out of the race.
'Harris argued that democracy acts as the guardrail for capitalism, saying, Capitalism thrives in a democracy.' She added that 'these titans of industry have been silent' in the face of Trump’s approach, and that such silence risks undermining public trust in institutions.
She acknowledged CEOs' hesitancy to speak out because the Trump administration has gone after critics, but urged corporate leaders to stand up 'for the sake of the people who rely on all of these institutions to have integrity and to at some point be the guardrails against a tyrant who is using the federal government to execute his whim and fancy because of a fragile ego.' Harris did not shy from naming the danger she perceives in consolidating power under Trump.
The interview aired Monday night, coming as Harris readies the release of her memoir, 107 Days, which recounts her tumultuous experience replacing Biden as the Democratic nominee after he dropped out of the race. In the interview, she framed that period as a test of democratic resilience.
In the broader context of her public remarks, Harris drew a direct line between democratic norms and economic vitality, arguing that democracy sustains capitalism and that the health of the market depends on the integrity of democratic institutions. The discussion also touched on her time on the campaign trail and the challenges she faced as she stepped into the role of the nominee during a turbulent primary season.
Photos accompanying the coverage show Harris at public events in 2025, including the Emerge gala in San Francisco and other appearances as she promotes her book and positions herself ahead of the next phase of the political cycle. The event underscored her ongoing effort to shape the conversation around democracy, business accountability and national leadership as the country grapples with the implications of the 2024 election.
The remarks reflect a broader trend in which Democratic figures seek to reframe the relationship between government, business and democratic norms as the country approaches a new political cycle.