(MENAFN- Live Mint) US Vice President Kamala Harris addressed reporters on Friday at Houston, Texas, responding sharply to former President Donald Trump 's recent comments describing the United States as“a garbage can for the world” due to immigration policies. Harris criticized Trump for belittling the country and its people before she shared the stage with music star Beyoncé.

“It's just another example of how he really belittles our country,” Harris remarked, condemning Trump 's remarks as not only disrespectful but also damaging to America's image globally.“This is someone who is a former president of the United States, who has a bully pulpit. And this is how he uses it? To tell the rest of the world that somehow the United States of America is trash?”

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Harris accused her political opponent of consistently undermining the American public, stating,“America deserves better.” She emphasized that a president should elevate national discourse and highlight the strengths of the country rather than demean its citizens. Harri s added the president“should be someone who elevates discourse and talks about the best of who we are and invests in who we are. Not someone like Donald Trump who's constantly demeaning and belittling who the American people are. America deserves better."

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Trump made the inflammatory comments were made during a rally in Tempe, Arizona, where he criticized the Biden administration's immigration policies.“When Kamala came in, she dismantled our border and threw open the gates to an invasion of criminal migrants from prisons and jails, from insane asylums and mental institutions, from all over the world,” Trump claimed. He further asserted,“We're a dumping ground. We're like a garbage can for the world,” as he expressed his frustration with the current administration.

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The former president's rhetoric included claims about migrants entering the US illegally, which has been a recurring theme in his political messaging.

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