Trump Tears Into an Absentee Harris at Al Smith Dinner

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:

Trump Unleashed

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.

Harris Notably Absent

In a break with a generations-long tradition for presidential candidates, Harris opted to skip the event, and instead, recorded a video that played during the dinner.

She teamed up with Saturday Night Live’s Molly Shannon, who reprised her recurrent role as Mary Katherine Gallager, a Catholic student.

Shannon, playing Gallagher, advised Harris not to “bear false witness against thy neighbor.”

“Indeed,” Harris quipped. “Especially thy neighbor’s election results.”

Harris’ absence from Thursday’s event did not go unnoticed. Earlier this week, Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York said he was disappointed that Harris wasn’t planning to attend in person.

“We’re upset that she didn’t come because we’ve missed an evening to accent something sorely needed now, that even she articulates rather eloquently that we’ve got to turn the page on, bitterness,” Dolan said Tuesday on his podcast, Conversation with Cardinal Dolan.

According to a September survey from the Pew Research Center, Catholic voters favor Trump over Harris: 52 percent of Catholic voters support the Republican nominee, while 47 percent back the Democratic nominee.

Melania Makes an Appearance

Former first lady Melania Trump, who has been notably absent from her husband’s side during the 2024 election cycle, made an appearance during the dinner. She also attended the dinner in 2016. Trump complimented his wife for writing a best-selling memoir, Melania.

An Uncomfortable Seating Chart

Sitting front and center on the dais was an awkward array of political frenemies: New York Attorney General Letitia James, who successfully prosecuted Trump for fraud; New York Mayor Eric Adams who was charged last month with bribery and conspiracy; Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer; and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, among others.

But Trump took it all in stride.

At one point, he turned to Adams and said, “Mayor Adams, good luck with everything.”

He later addressed Schumer: “If Kamala loses you still have the chance to become the first woman president.”