Former Vice President Kamala Harris faced backlash over the Fourth of July weekend for posting a downbeat message about the state of the country — paired with a photo that noticeably cropped out President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden.
“This Fourth of July, I am taking a moment to reflect. Things are hard right now. They are probably going to get worse before they get better,” Harris wrote Friday on X. “But I love our country — and when you love something, you fight for it. Together, we will continue to fight for the ideals of our nation.”
Critics seized on both the message’s pessimistic tone and the photo, which showed Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff watching fireworks from the White House balcony in 2024 — with Biden and his wife just out of frame.
“Kamala cropping Joe out is very symbolic,” commented Link Lauren, a former adviser to RFK Jr.’s presidential campaign, who posted a wider version of the image showing the first couple nearby.
Others mocked the photo’s composition and the ominous message. “Whose elbow is that at the right?” one user joked. “Feeling grateful we didn’t end up with a President who posts ‘things are gonna get worse’ on the 4th of July,” added RNC spokeswoman Kiersten Pels.
“Kamala sets a new record for the worst 4th of July message ever,” radio host Mark Simone declared.
Some critics took note of Harris’s use of the word “fight,” interpreting it as a nod toward her future ambitions. “She’s definitely running in 2028,” one user wrote. Trump ally Mike Davis sarcastically added, “Please run again in 2028.”
Harris has remained largely out of the spotlight since losing to Donald Trump in the 2024 election, after President Biden exited the race and Republicans swept all seven swing states. Her favorability has since declined, with recent polls showing her trailing behind other potential Democratic contenders for 2028, including Pete Buttigieg.
In April, Harris delivered a keynote speech in San Francisco attacking Trump-era policies, though she avoided directly naming the former president.
Sources close to Harris told Politico she is expected to decide on her political future by the end of the summer.
