'I'm Not Here to Say I Told You So' — Kamala Harris Speaks on Trump's Tariffs and Fears, Saying: 'There Were Many Things We Knew Would Happen'

Former Vice President Kamala Harris broke her silence last week after President Donald Trump's administration imposed sweeping tariffs affecting more than 180 countries. Speaking Thursday at the Leading Women Defined Summit in California, Harris addressed what she described as a growing atmosphere of fear and silence across the nation.

"There is a sense of fear that has been taking hold in our country…and I understand it," Harris told the crowd.

"But we're seeing people stay quiet. We are seeing organizations stay quiet. We are seeing those who are capitulating to clearly unconstitutional threats. These are the things that we are witnessing each day in these last few months in our country. And it understandably creates a great sense of fear," she continued.

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Harris, who ran against Trump in the 2024 election, didn't hold back in her remarks—though she did offer a moment of levity. "‘Cause, you know, there were many things we knew would happen," she said, drawing audible agreement from the crowd. "I'm not here to say ‘I told you so,'" she added with a laugh. "I swore I wasn't going to say that!"

But not everyone thought the comment hit the right note.

On CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who was Harris's running mate last year, offered a more self-critical take. While he acknowledged that Harris's warning was likely rooted in predictable outcomes, he said the moment called for more than a knowing nod.

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"When I criticize, I'm criticizing myself," Walz said. "I own this. I'm part of the ticket, and somebody has to come up with a strategy."

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Walz said it was "pretty self-evident" that Trump would follow through on his promises, but that wasn't the point. The real issue, he argued, was the Democratic Party's struggle to connect with voters who either sat out the election or felt ignored.

"I do think the challenge for Democrats—and this is, I think, a structural problem that's going to take a lot more thinking—why, with all of that out there, did they not think we were any better than that?" Walz said. "And I'm very concerned with the folks who stayed home, and these are folks that I'll say once again—Donald Trump has identified their angst."

The exchange highlights a growing tension within Democratic circles. While Harris is sounding the alarm about what she sees as democratic backsliding and public fear, Walz called for an internal reckoning about how the party presents itself and who it speaks to.

As for the tariffs themselves, the impact on global trade and domestic prices is still unfolding. But politically, they've already stirred a wider conversation—not just about policy, but about how each side frames the future.

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