WASHINGTON – Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, ended a difficult week on Friday by holding a press conference on the West Coast. He frequently criticized Vice President Kamala Harris and defended his friendship with controversial figure Laura Loomer, while also voicing complaints about media coverage of his contentious debate with his Democratic opponent.

At one point during the 65-minute press event at his golf course near Los Angeles, Trump stated, “I’ve been right about everything.”

This appearance followed a nearly 50-minute “news conference” in New York where Trump refrained from taking any questions from reporters and instead focused on expressing his grievances regarding various issues, such as targeted attacks from the Democratic Party and numerous legal challenges.

Set against the backdrop of the Pacific Ocean, Trump spoke for nearly 40 minutes before fielding questions. Here are some key takeaways:

Controversial Debate Commentary

Since leaving the debate stage on Tuesday, Trump and his supporters have attempted to convince the public that he emerged victorious, despite contradicting evidence. “Polls have gone way up since the debate,” he claimed on Friday, although scientific surveys show Harris ahead.

A Reuters/Ipsos survey released Thursday indicated that Harris is polling at 47% compared to Trump’s 42% following the debate. Additionally, amongst those who were aware of the debate, 53% stated Harris won while only 24% claimed Trump was the winner.

When asked about his performance, Trump brushed off criticism from some Republicans who suggested he missed a chance to attract moderate voters with his hostile demeanor and unfounded claims about migrants. Trump’s response was that most Republicans believed he performed well, although he acknowledged some thought he could have been more aggressive.

Sticking to Immigration Claims

While he did not repeat the exaggerated claim made during the debate regarding migrants in Springfield, Ohio, supposedly eating pets, Trump maintained their potential for deportation without acknowledging that most are legally in the country.

He continued to paint migrants as a threat, asserting, “I will be your border president.”

The false narrative about pets has sparked significant backlash in Springfield, leading to evacuations due to bomb threats against the city hall and schools. Trump dismissed these concerns, insisting, “the real threat is what’s happening at our border.”

Association with Laura Loomer

During the Los Angeles conference, Trump also defended his connection with Laura Loomer, who was part of his group during the debate and a 9/11 memorial in New York, despite her controversial claims about the terrorist attacks being an “inside job.”

Trump claimed he was unaware of Loomer’s statements regarding 9/11 and described her simply as a supporter. “I don’t control Laura. Laura has to say what she wants .  She’s a free spirit,” he asserted.

During the press event, Loomer, who has been known for making racist comments about Harris and others, had a confrontation with Senator Thom Tillis, a Republican from North Carolina, who accused her of working against the Republican Party’s interest.

Tillis criticized Loomer on social media, stating, “Laura Loomer is a crazy conspiracy theorist who regularly utters disgusting garbage intended to divide Republicans. A DNC plant couldn’t do a better job than she is doing to hurt President Trump’s chances of winning re-election. Enough.”

In response, Loomer took to X to address Tillis.

Describing him as a “RINO” – Republican In Name Only – he claimed that Thom Thillis criticized President Trump following the events of January 6 and wanted the political prisoners from that day to stay imprisoned. He labeled Thillis as the Democratic National Committee (DNC) infiltrator that he himself is accused of being.

Insights from the Harris Campaign on the Debate

Trump asserted that he held a news conference to hold Harris accountable for the issues afflicting California, where she previously served as a district attorney in San Francisco, state attorney general, and U.S. senator. He mentioned a range of problems including crime and immigration, going as far as to comment on gang violence and even the state of public restrooms in San Francisco.

“And it’s not even nice,” he remarked. “I’ve seen pictures of it.”

While Trump attempted to reshape the narrative surrounding the debate from California, the Harris campaign focused on promoting her performance and criticized Trump’s approach.

They identified five “extremely toxic” positions Trump took during the debate, suggesting these would linger through to Election Day, which is set for November 5.

According to the Harris campaign, Trump avoided clarifying his stance on a national abortion ban, refused to acknowledge his loss in the 2020 election, linked himself to the January 6 rioters (referring to them as “we”), mentioned his “concepts of a plan” for health care without specifics, and dodged questions about whether Ukraine should prevail in the ongoing conflict with Russia.

Other Democrats, including Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, suggested that Trump’s controversial statements are a tactic to divert attention from his shortcomings.

In a CNN interview, Buttigieg stated, “This is a tactic to steer our focus to his latest outrageous action or the latest fictional narrative he’s promoting. It’s essential for him to distract us from discussing his record.”

On Thursday, Trump declared he would not engage in any further debates with Harris.