“Crooked Hillary,” “Lyin’ Ted,” “Sleepy Joe.” Pithy yet demeaning nicknames have proven a consistently effective strategy for Trump during his three presidential campaigns, and he’s been workshopping a number of new ones for his latest opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris.
But none appear to be resonating with audiences.
The Republican nominee attempted two new ones on Monday: after a series of Truth Social posts early in the day calling her “Kamala Crash” and accusing her of bringing about the “Great Depression of 2024,” he moved on to intentionally misspelling the vice president’s first name as “Kamabla.”
The latest jab did not seem to land quite as cleanly as he may have hoped. Rather than taking off, the swipe at Harris was met with bemusement online.
Kamabla? They don’t have anything on her. pic.twitter.com/hBhksbjvw3
— Alex Cole (@acnewsitics) August 6, 2024
Has Trump Lost his Touch?
“Trump is a master of identifying an opponent’s key weakness and capturing it in a pithy and derogatory nickname,” Andrew Wroe, senior lecturer in American politics at University of Kent, in England, told Newsweek. “His putdown of Jeb Bush, frontrunner for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, as ‘Low Energy’ Jeb was devastating and helped end his candidacy. Marco Rubio has never really shaken off his ‘Little Marco’ moniker. And ‘Crooked Hillary’ to describe his 2016 Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton was another classic in Trump’s nickname locker.”
“Trump’s efforts to land a similar punch on Kamala Harris have so far failed, despite trying many different combinations. ‘Kamabla’ is almost certainly a wild swing that won’t connect. It’s just not clear what it means or what weakness he’s trying to exploit.
“It’s emblematic of Trump’s political problem. He knew Biden’s weaknesses, as did the wider electorate, and ‘Sleepy Joe’ was one of his greatest punches. He wishes Biden was his opponent and is struggling to refocus his campaign on Kamala Harris. But don’t write Trump off. He’s an indefatigable political heavyweight, even when on the ropes,” Wroe added.
Newsweek has also contacted the Trump campaign for comment via email.
“Trump always seemed to have a Midas touch when it came to identifying flaws in his opponents and exploiting them in the most coarse way possible. The fact that most Americans can rattle off Trump’s nicknames for his adversaries – from ‘Sleepy Joe’ to ‘Crooked Hillary’ – speak to their effectiveness,” political scientist Thomas Gift told Newsweek.
“Trump’s demeaning language is something that many voters purport not to like, yet it’s hard to say they don’t pack a punch. At the same time, ‘Kamabla’ and ‘Kamala Crash’ don’t quite have same ring to them. Trump’s difficulty in smearing Kamala Harris with a nickname is a lot like his campaign at the moment. It’s throwing things at the wall, but nothing seems to be sticking,” he added.
Trump’s Greatest Hits
“Sleepy Joe”
In the 2020 presidential race, then-President Trump labeled Joe Biden as “Sleepy Joe,” a nickname that implied Biden was lethargic and unfit for the presidency. Trump continued to employ it throughout the campaign.
Along with the following entry on the list, this nickname was arguably the most effective, as questions surrounding the current president’s fitness to run for re-election in November have dominated media headlines, particularly following June’s presidential debate. Ultimately, Biden decided to drop out of the race and endorsed Harris.
“Crooked Hillary”
One of Trump’s most famous nicknames was “Crooked Hillary,” used to refer to his 2016 Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton.
Trump frequently accused Clinton of corruption and dishonesty. The nickname was a central part of his campaign rhetoric, casting doubt on Clinton’s integrity.
“Low Energy Jeb”
During the 2016 Republican primaries, Trump targeted former Florida Governor Jeb Bush with the nickname “Low Energy Jeb.” The moniker suggested that Bush lacked the vigor and dynamism necessary for the presidency.
This nickname was particularly damaging in a campaign environment that valued perceived strength and assertiveness.
“Little Marco”
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio was another target during the 2016 Republican primaries, with Trump calling him “Little Marco,” a direct jab at Rubio’s stature.
“Meatball Ron”
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, seen at the time as a potential 2024 Republican presidential contender, was dubbed “Meatball Ron” by Trump.
This nickname was likely part of Trump’s efforts to undermine DeSantis’s growing influence within the Republican Party.
While the specifics of this nickname’s origins are less documented, it follows Trump’s pattern of using personal and often visually evocative insults to diminish his opponents.
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