Billionaire Mark Cuban made a spirited case for Kamala Harris in front of small-business owners in Phoenix last weekend, claiming that the Vice President offers a better path to economic success than Donald Trump. Speaking at a town hall event, Cuban, an independent, highlighted his role in advising the Harris campaign on economic policies and shared his belief that her approach would benefit entrepreneurs more than Trump’s.
“I’m here to tell you how you can make more money under Kamala Harris than you would under Donald Trump,” Cuban said, addressing a predominantly Black and Latino audience of small-business owners.
Cuban’s appearance in Arizona comes at a critical juncture for the Harris campaign. With polls showing Trump holding a slim lead in the state, Harris is working to close the gap in a race that could once again come down to razor-thin margins. The key battleground issues in Arizona—economy and inflation—are central to both campaigns, but Cuban sought to position Harris as the candidate who genuinely understands the challenges faced by small-business owners.
He argued that Trump, coming from a wealthy background, lacks a personal connection to the struggles of small businesses. “He doesn’t even know what the power of broke means,” Cuban remarked, claiming Trump had been handed his success by his father.
Cuban also addressed concerns about Harris’s economic proposals, including the much-debated tax on unrealized capital gains. He assured the crowd that such a tax would not materialize under her administration, despite some rumors circulating after comments by a former staffer for Senator Elizabeth Warren. “There is no tax on unrealized capital gains,” Cuban insisted, clarifying that the Harris campaign had no intention of pursuing such a policy.
The event mirrored a similar appearance by former President Barack Obama in Arizona, where he too depicted Trump as disconnected from the everyday realities of most Americans. Cuban portrayed Trump as someone who could not relate to the common American, let alone the small-business community. At one point, Cuban quipped, “Donald Trump is the Grinch that’s trying to steal your Christmas,” as he criticized the former president’s broad tariff policies, which Cuban argued would hurt retailers, especially during the holiday season.
Trump’s campaign responded with familiar rhetoric. A spokesperson for the Republican National Committee dismissed Cuban’s remarks, accusing Harris of engaging in “fearmongering” about Trump’s economic policies. They argued that Trump’s focus on re-shoring American jobs, reducing taxes, and cutting regulations would be more effective in combating inflation and supporting business growth.
Meanwhile, Trump finds himself navigating internal challenges within his own party. The former president addressed ongoing discussions about deploying former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley on the campaign trail to bolster his re-election bid. Haley, once a formidable primary challenger to Trump, had earlier endorsed him but has been notably absent from recent campaign events. “I beat Nikki badly,” Trump said, reflecting on his primary victories, including in Haley’s home state of South Carolina. However, he downplayed any lingering animosity, saying, “Nikki is helping us already.”
Reports have surfaced that Trump’s team is considering a more prominent role for Haley in the final stretch of the campaign. Haley’s influence among Republican voters remains substantial, particularly among those who may be skeptical of Trump but are not ready to vote for Harris. As Harris courts these disaffected Republicans, she has gained endorsements from several prominent GOP figures, including former Representatives Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, both outspoken critics of Trump.
