October 31, 2024
In a fiery appearance on ABC’s The View Thursday, billionaire entrepreneur and Kamala Harris’s top surrogate Mark Cuban faced intense criticism after remarks targeting President Trump and his supporters. Cuban, who appeared on the program to discuss the upcoming election, claimed that “strong, intelligent women” don’t support Trump, igniting backlash from Trump’s supporters, conservative figures, and female Trump allies.
“Donald Trump, you never see him around strong, intelligent women! Ever! It’s just that simple,” Cuban said during his appearance. “They’re intimidating to him. He doesn’t like to be challenged by them, and you know, Nikki Haley will call him on his nonsense with reproductive rights and how he sees and treats and talks about women. I mean, he just can’t have her around. It wouldn’t work.”
This sweeping statement quickly went viral, drawing condemnation from numerous Trump-aligned women, who saw Cuban’s comments as both disrespectful and condescending. Women for Trump, a prominent organization supporting the former president, was quick to condemn Cuban’s remarks, calling them “hateful” and “demeaning.”
Among the first to respond was Trump’s attorney, Alina Habba, who didn’t mince words, saying, “Mark Cuban can go to hell.” The backlash was joined by retired Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant Jessie Jane Duff, who served as the executive director of Veterans for Trump. She shared her view that Cuban’s comments were a direct insult to the intelligence and strength of women who support Trump.
Notable figures in conservative media also weighed in. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene took to social media, calling Cuban “Rachel Maddow’s doppelgänger,” while Rep. Anna Paulina Luna and Trump advisor Susie Wiles added their own rebukes, questioning Cuban’s respect for women’s individual beliefs and political choices.
Trump himself entered the fray, delivering his own rebuke in a lengthy post on X (formerly Twitter), calling Cuban a “really dumb guy” who “thinks he’s hot stuff.” The former president asserted that Cuban’s opinions were both uninformed and shallow. “Actually, he is very wrong,” Trump said. “I surround myself with the strongest of women – with the understanding that ALL women are great, whether strong or not strong.”
Trump also went on to call Cuban a “MAJOR LOSER” and “unattractive both inside and out.” In characteristic fashion, Trump also joked, “Also, he’s got no clubhead speed!” adding that Cuban’s remarks should make “all strong women, and women in general, very angry about this weak man’s statement.”
Beyond the immediate exchange, Cuban’s remarks stirred up memories of Democrats’ past statements toward conservatives. From Hillary Clinton calling Trump supporters “deplorables” to recent remarks from President Biden referring to Trump’s base as “garbage,” the accusations of disrespect from the left have deepened partisan divides. Republican women in Congress, like Rep. Harriet Hageman and Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, expressed frustration, arguing that comments like Cuban’s demonstrate a long pattern of belittling Republican voters.
The controversy underscores the stark divisions heading into the election season, with political surrogates on both sides throwing punches over issues of respect, gender, and political values.
Sources:
- The View [ABC]
- Fox News
- X (formerly Twitter)
